Mike Roach of Toad’s Cycle Works Limited in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia says that when he started putting together the pieces that became Toad’al Package – a dual engine 1985 FLT-his plan was to “build a bike that at first glance would draw you to it and would make you wonder the more you looked.”

It sure made us wonder the more we looked. “What is this?” we asked ourselves. “Some kind of prop for the sequel to Judge Dredd?” Or maybe it’s the next vehicle for the series of movies featuring that nerdy kid and his creepy professor buddy who are always messing with time, sending each other back and
forth into the future.

But no, Mike says this bike is just an everyday ride for plain folks who like their machinery on the unique side.
“I wanted a bike you could take to the store to pick up a loaf of bread. But most important, it had to look like a motorcycle that had never been done before,” he says.

We’re quite sure we haven’t seen a bike like this before, and maybe a guy standing on a ladder looking down on this motorcycle would have the best perspective. This is one busy bike. Obviously there’s going to be a lot of duplication built into a package with two engines. Two sets of instruments, two air cleaners, two sets of exhaust pipes…well, you get the idea.

And once you get over the side-by-side mills you begin to notice other things” the way the tank swoops out and flares away; the high tech stainless steel dash with the touch pad that replaces the customary key and tumbler works.

Do those four sealbeams look familiar? Maybe you’ll recognize them as coming from a 1995 Camaro. They lead the way into a bike crowded with choice pieces such as the Arlen Ness Massive Glide triple trees, the stainless steel louvered insert, the Craiger car rims, and the upswept mini fishtails. Actually the fishtails are an interesting touch-checkout their opposed position. Even at first glance, it’s clearly a motorcycle with not a lot of predecessors.

Mike says that all of the design for the bike and most of the work was done by himself and a few good friends. Most of the pieces-with the exception of components bought from various suppliers-were “made with a vice, a jig saw and a few beers.”

A jig saw? Well that’s one handy guy with a jig saw-just look at details such as the slotted side plates, the highly modified gas tank, the handlebars and exhaust clamps. These were all manufactured by Mike or by his friends whose help he has acknowledged by engraving their names on the tank panel. Painter Brian Mason provided the finishing touches with fine layers of teal green and silver. “The idea was to keep it plain,” says Mike.

Mike’s team brought the bike to Daytona and to Laconia for Bike Week where it went over big time. Toad’al Package won first place (Judge’s Choice) at the Easy Rider Boardwalk show, took first runner up at the Rats Hole Essen show and second place at the Nempco show in Laconia.

“The best comment I received about my bike came from one of the judges. He said that although Toad’al Package wasn’t a 100-point show bike, it certainly is a bike he will always remember,” recalls Mike.

Mike and Toad’al Package also received an all-expense paid trip to Essen, Germany to show off the bike for 10 days. The Essen show is one of the motorcycling world’s great events and is held on one million square feet spread across 18 buildings.

Toad’al Package took seven years “on and off” to build and Mike believes it is possibly the only motorcycle in this world set up to run the way it does. The bike features a 1986 FXST engine on the left and a 1987 FLHTC powerplant on the right. The motors are joined at the Head Quarters balanced Harley crank to produce a combined and dyno-tested 140-150 horsepower.

With the single crank, both engines run as one-the left motor runs backward and fires the rear cylinder at top dead centre while the right motor fires at top dead centre front. They share a Crane single fire dual plug ignition in the right motor with decompressor valves in the left motor to ease the pain of cranking the bike alive. The two engines also share an eight-litre oil tank mounted in between. The starter motor is a tech gear reduction unit with two 240 amp ATV batteries mounted under the seat.

The frame housing the side-by-side engines is a 1985 FLT with a stock rake but it’s been stretched five inches in the centre. Al the motor mounts have been removed and reworked as have the rubber mounts for the stock 1985 FLT swingarm.

This massive bike with futuristic design elements is one of the most unique motorcycles you’re likely to see if you’re just stepping out the door for a “loaf of bread” But Mike insists it’s more than just eye candy. “This bike truly is a runner and it is everything it appears to be.”

And what exactly does it appear to be? To us it looks like the real deal, the full, complete and Toad’al Package – a bike so completely different you can’t help be impressed.