Death Row Motorcycles Custom Choppers to Harley Service Frank Stancato

A great motorcycle shop does more than turn wrenches. It builds confidence, earns trust over years, and treats every service job like someone’s safety depends on it, because it does. I’m joined by Frank Stancato, the owner of Death Row Motorcycles, to hear how he built the business over 23 years, starting with custom motorcycle builds and then pivoting as the chopper craze faded into a full-force Harley-Davidson sales and service operation. Along the way, Death Row ships custom work worldwide and keeps expanding what the shop can do for real riders.

We talk about the creative side of customization and parts upgrades, especially when someone walks in knowing they want “something different” but cannot quite describe it. Frank shares how his team pulls out the right details, matches upgrades to a rider’s needs, and helps people fall back in love with their bike. If you’re looking for Harley service, motorcycle repair, or custom motorcycle builds in NEPA, this conversation gives you a clear look at what separates a long-running shop from a quick turnaround garage.

Frank also tackles safety myths head-on: motorcycles are risky, but smart riding, full attention, and the right training change the odds. He explains why rider classes still matter after years in the saddle, and he drops practical maintenance reminders riders forget, like why oil should be changed even if the bike sits. We also get into how Death Row grows through word of mouth, social media, and a simple rule that applies to every local business: when something goes wrong, own it and make it right.

If you enjoyed this, subscribe for more conversations with local business owners, share the episode with a rider who cares about doing things right, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor Podcast

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Joe Longo.

SPEAKER_02 0:12

What's up, everybody? Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast Live. Are you in need of maybe having your Harley serviced? Or maybe you're interested in having a custom motorcycle built for you. Today you're in the right place, my friends, because we are about to introduce you to our good neighbor guest, Frank Stancato, who is the owner of Death Row Motorcycles. Frank, thank you so much for being here with me today. How are you doing? Good. How are you? Thank you for having me. I'm doing really good. I'm excited to talk and learn more and share about your business. If if you can tell everyone that's listening a little bit about Death Row Motorcycles.

How Frank Started The Shop

SPEAKER_01 0:52

Sure. We started about uh 23 and a half years ago. We are uh going strong. Um we started it based on custom builds. That's that's was our premise in the beginning days of it all. And then as I think the OCC chopper craze and all that stuff started going out in 2007, 2008, we uh we acclimated to more of getting into the Harley sales and service, and uh we got you know, we really dedicated ourselves um in that arena. So now, you know, I I hate to say it, but it, you know, 16, 17 years later, you know, we really went full blast. So we're we're doing uh doing sales and service for all over the world, really. Custom builds that you know went to the UK, Russia, um, South Africa. We had a couple builds out there. So I mean, we've really uh we've really grown in the last couple of years, which is great. Um, pretty proud of what we've done. Uh, but like I said, there's the you know, just to get the word out there for the sales and service on the Harley side and metric side, even um, you know, we're there for the people.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

That's awesome. Yeah, how did how did you come about this business of being because really I look at it as a very creative business in the custom build? How did this all come to be?

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Well, I mean, back in the day, I loved motorcycles my whole life, and I I never really got into them. And and my father was not a big motorcycle guy, you know, and he he didn't really want me on them in you know in the early days, but as as it got later, I'm like, I really want to get into this. I got out of another business, so I'm like, I'm gonna get into this thing. And and on the creative side of it, um, it is on the custom build side, and even really on the parts and accessory side. When a person doesn't really they come in and they really don't know what they want, you know, if you could tailor it to what, you know, get a little bit of info, tailor it to their their likes, their needs, you know, what they're looking for, that's the whole creative side that I feel that you know we've entertained, you know, through the last 20-some years, and we could get that person in a place where you know that they love their bike even more than than when they bought it.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

Right, right. It's so interesting that you said your dad maybe wasn't a fan of the no, not a big fan. Not a big fan. My my dad loved the motorcycle, and he actually met my mom really on the motorcycle. He went to uh Pine Street Playground in Hazleton to make someone for a ride, and they weren't there. And my mom happened to be there, and he was like, Hey, you want to go for a ride? And and they rode off into the sunset. And growing up, right, he was like, You should get you should get one of those instead. And never ever. I'm like, I'm gonna fall down. So the complete opposite. He was the pusher, and yeah, yeah, I'm gonna stick with four wheels and stay right here where I'm comfortable. Um, so very interesting, you know, dynamic there.

SPEAKER_01 3:44

Yeah, very interesting.

Safety Myths And Rider Training

SPEAKER_02 3:46

So, in this, right, in the motorcycle world that you're in, what are some of the myths, misconceptions about your industry?

SPEAKER_01 3:53

So I you know, I I think obviously they're dangerous, you know. It is what it is, you know. I I mean, you get you get in an accident on four wheels, um, you have a way better chance. Um, you know, and and for the most part, I gotta tell you, like it's it's not as dangerous as people think. Like, if you you gotta pay attention. Now, the world of the iPhone, the world of of the phones didn't make it any easier on anybody. Um, so one of the you know, I I always hear it all the time, you know, you know, I'm I'm scared, I'm this and that, but you you shouldn't be on if you're if you're scared, to be honest with you. You that it's it is it is one of those things, but um, yeah, the the myths, um it it that's a tough that's kind of a tough question because there's there are so many. Right, right. You know what I mean? But um, like like I said, it's that that's one of the biggest for me. I you know, I think just when when people are riding, you just got to pay attention, you gotta be on it, you know. You know, and and I'll tell you for the people out there, you know, you you might think you really know how to ride, but there's good classes out there, and they they actually excel you to the next level rider. Um, you know, I took one a couple of years ago and and it was it was an expert course, um, because I've been riding for a long time now, but you know, you just don't realize in the rain, what do you do? Like if you start sliding, what do you do? Like, there's there's just certain certain tricks of the trade, like anything in any other business, and it could get you out of trouble.

Winning Customers With Trust

SPEAKER_02 5:19

Yeah, yeah. And I you you know really brought up a good point that if you're scared, then maybe it's not the best vehicle for you, right? Yeah, but again, it's like I look at my family. My one brother was like, Yeah, I'm gonna do it. Me and my other brother were like, No, thank you. Yeah, you know, and it was just just there. So, in this space of your business and being in business so long, how are you targeting your customers? How are you attracting them? How are how are they how are you connecting with them?

SPEAKER_01 5:46

So, over the years, um, I did a lot of I did a lot of TV, um, back in the day, radio TV. It worked and didn't work. I really believe it takes a while to win the customer's confidence. So a lot of it for us is word of mouth. Now, once you kind of get over that hill of yeah, these guys know what they're doing. They're there 25 years. I mean, they're there a quarter of a century. I think they have a clue. I mean, right. So I a lot, like I said, is word of mouth. We use a good social media mode, uh, media platform. You know, we're on Instagram, TikTok, you know, Facebook, and we we try to use all of them. Um, and then we, you know, like I said, word of mouth is probably our biggest. You know, you hit you have, you know, one good customer and he tells four people, they tell four people, you know, it just it just grows your business tremendously, you know, and obviously, obviously, a web, you know, that we have our website, um, e-commerce, the whole nine yards, you know, but I think that's the the word of mouth and just treating people right and getting it out there, you know. If something does happen, you you know, you you own up to it and you get it right for the customer. I just think it's it's a big part of today's business and in any business, really. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_02 6:52

Have have you ever um toyed around with this version of putting yourself out there and up the podcast world?

SPEAKER_01 6:59

No, not really. But I you know, one of my buddies just started doing it down in Philadelphia and he's loving it. It's a lot of work. He told me it's a lot of work. Um, and I don't have that much time, but I but I am starting to look at it. I really am, because it's it it does get you out there. I think people appreciate knowing what should be done to their bikes on what what intervals, what services, when should you do them, you know, when should you do a break flush? You know, because I get the questions all the time, and and people are like, I hate to ask you this, but like, you know, I just changed my oil last year. But if the bike's sitting for a year, year and a half, you should probably, you know, oil breaks down also. So you should probably do it again. You know, you don't want to go 10,000 miles or let the bike sit for three years and not change oil. So, really, no, you know, these like going back to the old school thing, you know, there's no really dumb questions, you know. Well, you know, it's it's just out there, it's just education.

Service Education And Maintenance Timing

SPEAKER_02 7:49

Right, right. And I mean, I obviously love love the this platform and a way of putting it, getting content out there into the world because it really has this magic of sure, we're here talking right now, right? Post the interview, but we've got clips and different pieces of the show to send out. So I like thinking like strategically planned is a great way to get businesses out in into the world, correct? So outside of work and riding your motorcycle, what are you doing for fun?

SPEAKER_01 8:22

So I'm trying, believe it or not, I'm trying to get back into golf. Uh, my one son's playing a lot, so I was pretty good back in my day, and I'm I'm trying to get back into it. And it's not an easy game to get back into. Um, and then just doing stuff around the house, you know, just you know, we're you know, usually after uh a full week here, we're spent, you know what I mean. So I I either want to go for my rides with some of my friends and go out there and ride the bike, you know. And if I if I'm really not doing that, like I said, I'm I'm either gonna be doing something around the house or or or golfing or something like that, just to just to bite up the time a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Yeah, we gotta we gotta get out there and decompress. Yeah, without a doubt. Without a doubt. Even if we're not good golfers, we get to be outside.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

Well, I'll tell you, I'll tell you, family time. Well, not only but family time, just having that good time, regardless of what you do, how you shoot, you know, where you are, even if it's hiking, you know, that's that's always a good outlet for things, you know. You know, sweat a little bit, get out, get out in the nature, and um that I have to do more. I I wish I had the time to do that a little bit more. Um, so I might I might make a conservative effort this year to try to get out there a little bit more with the wife, but we'll see how that goes.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Awesome. So if you can tell our listeners one thing that they should remember about death row motorcycles.

Life Outside The Shop

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Um the one thing is we give it our all. Uh the quality of our service, I really feel is a nine out of ten. I'll never say ten out of ten, but uh, I mean, we really go over the bikes, we make sure you're, you know, you we know you're on two wheels. You know, when it is one thing back in the day, like you know, you're trying as time goes on and and you start making a little bit of money and you get a little bit more comfortable, you know, you could tell people what they need, what they don't need, but you don't have to rush the bikes out. You know, it's not one of those deals with us anymore. I I take an extra couple minutes, make sure the bike's right, make sure it's what they wanted, you know, make sure tire pressures are are good when they leave, you know, just just make that extra effort. So, you know, like I said, you're on two wheels, it's not four wheels. So if you have a you know, you have a blowout, you only got two wheels. So we we just we really go above and beyond, you know, what I feel we did, you know, way back, you know, but um that's that's I think that's the the one for there for me.

SPEAKER_02 10:42

Yeah, that's that's awesome. And and really it it goes to show being in business for as long as you have been showing up for the customer really is really is key. Yeah. Um, and how can all of our listeners find out more about Death Row Motorcycles?

What To Remember And How To Find Them

SPEAKER_01 10:58

So, I mean, we're all over Instagram, Facebook, like I said, TikTok drmshop.com. Uh, we have our website, which is uh uh DRM shop, www.drmshop.com. Um and you know, we're out there. I'm I'm I'm posting as much as I could possibly post, you know, what we do. We got into stereos um big time in the last three or four years. Uh for touring bikes that you know they're people are going 890 miles an hour and they want to hear they want to hear, they want to hear their music. People love their music, so and I'm one of them. Um, so I you know, it's we we got into that big time, and we're just we're you know, we're trying to get as as you know the best we can with knowing as much as we can about that. Um, but on that side of it, yeah, uh social media, our website, and uh we're down here on 309 in drums. Um, so you could come down and visit us anytime. We give tours at a shop, you know, show show what you know what we could do, the fabrication we do, just the the you know, the sales and the service. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 11:57

Well, Frank, I really appreciate you being on the show. And from myself and everybody at the Good Neighbor Podcast, we wish you the best moving forward, my friend.

SPEAKER_01 12:08

Thank you, Joe. Appreciate the time.

SPEAKER_00 12:11

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GMPNEPA.com. That's GMP N Epa.com. Or call 570 908 4334.