The Rising

Every build starts with a blank canvas and a vision. The Rising was no different — except the stakes were higher, the clock was ticking, the whole country was watching, and Doug Keim wouldn't have it any other way.

The Competition

The Rising was built for a nationally televised build-off competition — the kind of event where the best custom motorcycle builders in the country go head to head in front of a national audience. At the end of it, one bike wins the People's Choice Award. That award isn't handed out by a panel of judges. It's earned by the crowd — the people watching from living rooms and show floors across the country.

The Rising won it.

The Build

Build-off competitions are the ultimate proving ground for a custom motorcycle builder. You're not just building a bike — you're building a statement. A declaration of skill, taste, and craftsmanship under pressure. When Doug committed to The Rising, he committed to something that would represent five decades of accumulated knowledge in every weld, every curve, and every detail.

The foundation is a one-off frame designed and fabricated by Doug Keim Creative Cycles in collaboration with Russ Bailey of Full Bore Designs — purpose-built for this machine and nothing else. Power comes from a 125-inch V-Twin, and the rear of the bike features a very trick billet bolt-on rear frame sub-section with hidden eccentric axle adjusters — clean, functional, and invisible to the eye unless you know exactly where to look. Wheels are DKCC/RMD billet multi-piece units, and the braking system is fully linked.

The exhaust is a hand-crafted one-off. The aluminum fuel tank, foot controls, handlebars, and intake scoops were all fabricated in-house — no catalogue solutions, no off-the-shelf compromises. Every piece was made to belong to this bike and only this bike. And beneath all of it, the hidden hardware, hidden wiring, and hidden hoses that are the hallmark of a Doug Keim Creative Cycles build — because the details you never see matter just as much as the ones you do.

The Rising is a one-off, hand-crafted Creative Cycles original in every sense of the word — and there is so much more to it than any spec sheet can capture.

The Finish

The teal and chrome finish that defines The Rising didn't happen by accident. It was the result of hours of consultation, test panels, and refinement until the color told the right story. Paired with the custom chrome saddle and the dramatic silhouette of the stretched frame, The Rising earned its name.

The Result

When The Rising rolled out of the shop and onto the show floor, it did what every great Creative Cycles build does — it stopped people in their tracks. The People's Choice Award followed. The build-off format forces builders to be decisive, and Doug's decisiveness showed in every detail.

The Philosophy

Builds like The Rising don't happen because of talent alone. They happen because of a philosophy — the same philosophy Doug has applied to every bike since 1977. You must have a picture of the bike you want before you start. That picture is your blueprint. Without it, you're just collecting parts.

The Rising had a picture. And it came to life exactly as envisioned.