— To the right of a bend in the highway, just above the trees beyond Exit 87, can be seen an anachronism: A new building built in homage to a bygone era.

Exiting the highway and approaching the front door, visitors will be greeted by a faux drawbridge spanning a moat. Parapets stand sentry over visitors. Gargoyles guard stairways.

But inside, the newly erected castle of concrete and glass along Interstate 395 here will be hawking nothing less modern than hundreds of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes.

This weekend marks the grand opening of the new Excalibur Powersports, a sprawling 34,000-square-foot facility dedicated to the sale and care of all things wheeled and motorized, save cars. And for connoisseurs of motocross, bike rallies and quad races, it will be the only place in the region to house everything under one roof.

The $2.75-million project, an odyssey that began when Evans bought the land three years ago, will likely see the last of its landscaping in place by the end of next week. It more than doubles the size of its previous location along Route 12.

Evans, a stocky man with a handlebar mustache and dressed Friday in a black shirt and jeans, formerly served as a broker for the motorcycle wing of Progressive insurance. On Friday, he said he hopes his store will transcend its showroom appearance.

"You can stand in one place and see 400 handlebars," said Robert Lavoie, president of a local motorcycle riders' club, as he stood on the showroom floor.

Downstairs, vehicles are priced at anything from $1,000 to $40,000, although the median price is around $6,000, Evans said. Upstairs, rows of leather pants, jackets and vests are up for sale. Enthusiasts can even buy goggles for their dogs.

Through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, state-sanctioned instructors will teach safety to new riders. Ten service bays will allow crews to fix anything from a busted Honda ATV to a 1974 Ducati 250 Scrambler.

The store is a personal quest for Evans. The medieval theme is a testament to this: It comes from his and his wife's lifelong interest in that time period.

Entertainment is key, Evans continued. He hopes to host large-scale bike rallies on par with Americade, a 50,000-strong annual motorcycle tour in Lake George, N.Y. He is planning for banquets and parties. A second-story balcony will be used for bands to play, he said.

The superstore is the latest example in a whirlwind of development that has descended upon the town. In fact, a line of sight from the balcony ends at the Plainfield Greyhound Track, its doors now shuttered as its contentious transformation into an indoor auto racetrack remains on hold.

Despite uncertainty about the project being completed, Evans hopes to see it go through. Increased traffic and population will only help his business, he said.

Other events will include a scavenger hunt, a bike tour for charity and a costume party. In fact, today the store will host a medieval wedding that will be presided over by Justice of the Peace and First Selectman Donald F. Gladding.

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