TOAD'S CUSTOM BIKES

Mike Roach affectionately known as Toad is known far and wide for his customized bikes.

Mike started ridin' at the tender age of 13 on a mini bike he bought with his paper route money.

He's never owned a brand-new bike, and his finished customs have all been built from wrecked bikes and parts.

Although he professes to anyone who'll listen that he's "too busy to do customs anymore." Given the proper arm twisting Toad has yet to turn down a challenge.

The following are just a few reprints from many articles which have been written about him over the past years and monthly we'll try our best to provide you with pictures of Mike's latest creations, so enjoy the ride!

TOAD'AL PACKAGE

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 log 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.

DOUBLE OR NUTHIN

148-inches of rompin, stompin, Harley-Davidson -"Double or Nuthin" was inspired from a bike created by a guy named "Coyote". Coyote's red, dual-engined monster was rough but received maximum attention from all onlookers. Mike was obsessed - he had to build one of these one-of-a-kind-ain't-enough motorcycles. With help from some very special friends, his obsession became a reality.

Don't think this is just a show bike - he's jamming it every chance he got. "It handles great on the road, Mike says, "the extra weight only affects the slow speed maneuvers-gotta take it a little easy on the turn-arounds cause it steers a lot like a trike."

The engine is two 1975 Shovels. The oil tank is two stock tanks pieced together for double capacity. The primary cover is custom and the inner-primary took 3 stock inners to fabricate.

The front of the swingarm frame is 1980 and the rear is 1975. A single throttle cable junctions to both carburetors.

PETER AND THE TOAD

This fine picture of Peter Fonda, Mike Roach and Mike's Custom Built "Captain America" was taken at the 30th Anniversary of the movie Easy Rider in New Orleans.

Although that Anniversary has come and gone, the original Captain America chopper is still considered by some to be the ultimate "American Dream Machine".

When Toad sat down to plan out the construction of this project, he knew he didn't want to build another replica of the original Captain America. Instead, he wanted to build a modern day version - the type of bike Peter Fonda would ride in the 20th century.

This awesome ride is totally chromed with a 1340cc Evolution engine, 6 gallon gas tanks, incorporating suspension, factory built drive, 5 speed transmission, electric start, 200 series rear tire, dual 4-piston front and 6 -piston calliper rear braking, stainless rotors, all hoses and brake lines steel braided, Dolly Parton headlights, and 18 inch apes. As you can see Toad has succeeded in building a new millennium version of the "American Dream Machine"

Nothin like a little Easy Ridin'!

MARLBORO MAN

1992 HD FXR - Bike was meant to be a "Street" version of the bike rode by Mickey Rourke in the movie, The Marlboro Man.

The frame was rigged to 40 degrees with side covers Frenched in. Unlike the original, this beauty is silver not black, has slim rear shocks a full rear fender and a dual seat.

The Marlboro Man uses original type artwork and has a 1 piece quick bob tank that was sanded to metal and clear coated. The cards have had the lettering changed, as the movie bike lettering had a special meaning to Mickey Rourke.