Revving Up Renovo: Justin Gregory Brings Passion and Expertise to PA Wilds’ Off-Road Boom

By Kevin Rauch

RENOVO – The PA Wilds allow the adventurous to explore endless back roads and trails, attracting off-road riders of all kinds. The tremendous growth over the past few years in Renovo has led native Southern York County resident Justin A. Gregory to plant roots here. He hopes to combine his passion for working on all types of vehicles into a profitable business—but more importantly, to provide a much-needed asset to the town. Gregory has no doubt that Western Clinton County will benefit from being at the epicenter of the PA Wilds.

“Renovo really is a central hub, just like the railways of the past that built this town,” said Gregory from his shop, JAG Old School Choppers, LLC, located inside the Service Garage on 6th and Huron in Renovo. “Three to four hours in every direction is a major city with people daydreaming of a beautiful place like this to ride. They will need to get gas, stay overnight in hotels, eat in restaurants, and will inevitably need services on their vehicles,” Justin said of the exploding outdoor lifestyle. “I’d like to offer my unique set of skills and services here in town.”

Gregory said that another factor in his decision to move his family back to Pennsylvania was his lifelong love of the wilderness, having grown up hunting, fishing, backpacking, camping, and, of course, riding.

The PA Wilds BDR-X, or Backcountry Discovery Route System, is rapidly expanding toward 1,000 miles of roads and trails mapped out around Renovo. Dual-sport and adventure motorcycle riders are traveling from everywhere to get in on the action. Justin has pegged this as another source of revenue for the town and a need for his business.

Between his profession and interests, Renovo seems like the perfect place to set up shop.

“I grew up on a farm outside Glen Rock, PA, where I learned to ride at age three. I enjoyed everything with an engine,” he recalled. “Naturally, I began working on my ATVs, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles very early on. It’s all I wanted to do in my spare time as a child.”

“My father owned Gregory and Sons Inc. He had me operating equipment at age six. Repairing heavy equipment and diesel trucks was part of the job. I continued to ride every minute I could. In my late teens through my early 20s, I raced the Big East Snocross Division, traveling to the Northeast on weekends through the winter months. As the weather changed, I transitioned onto dirt bikes through the spring, summer, and fall. At one point, I built a motocross track on our farm so I could ride every night after work. Riding and wrenching was my life,” he summed up his youth.

All these experiences eventually led the York man to Florida for the first time in 2004 when he enrolled in the American Motorcycle Institute in Daytona Beach. The budding mechanic wanted to solidify his mechanical knowledge with a degree at age 24. At AMI, Justin studied under Harley-Davidson Master Ph.D. Kurt Heinrich. Heinrich wrote many books on the Master Harley-Davidson class. Kurt lit the flame inside Justin for vintage motorcycles.

During school, he bought an old, dismantled Triumph chopper, which they rebuilt while in class—a prized possession he still owns today. Graduation came in 2005, just in time to show his chopper at Daytona Bike Week. This was the turning point in his motorcycle life, Gregory recalled.

With a degree in hand, the graduate returned home to York and started JAG Old School Choppers LLC, continuing to work for his father until his unfortunate passing in 2007 at age 52. This was a devastating loss for the young man, and he had a big decision to make. Ultimately, he decided to leave construction and become a full-time motorcycle builder. It was a big sacrifice, but it had always been his passion.

“I sold everything, then began buying, restoring, and building custom motorcycles. I traveled the country, going to shows, meeting other builders, and basically living the life to learn all I could,” he said of his early dedication. “I got my hands on everything—motorcycles from 1910 to the present. The industry took me in, and it truly is a motorcycle family. I am proud to say I have met and worked next to the best in the business.”

During the winter months, Gregory made Florida his home and traveled the country working and promoting his business. In 2016, he settled in Daytona Beach, where he set up a full-time shop, building vintage Triumph and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Justin also became involved with the early days of Billy Lane’s Sons of Speed Vintage Boardtrack Racing in 2017—an elite group of builders and riders of vintage Harley-Davidsons and Indians from 1910 to 1950. He is a pit crew mechanic for multiple teams, but his main crew is Empire Cycles out of St. Petersburg, FL.

Of the daredevil racing style, Justin explained, “This is real dangerous outlaw racing—no brakes, no gears, no clutch. Push to start with only a kill switch. It is high-speed and intense. I really enjoy it.”

Gregory ultimately stayed in Daytona after meeting Brittany and her two boys in 2018. They made a life there but always knew it wasn’t their forever home. After a friend, Justin Lynn, moved back to Renovo from Florida, he advised Gregory of the opportunities in the PA Wilds. Despite the success of his new business, Gregory’s willingness to constantly expand his horizons led him back to PA.

Early in 2023, Gregory and his family visited the area. They saw the unique opportunity to enjoy outdoor life and expand the business. They immediately purchased a home in town and remodeled it. They moved their family here to start a new chapter in June of last year, recognizing that this was a place where Brittany and their boys could thrive in small-town living.

Gregory set up shop in the Service Garage, whose large workshop had been empty for a decade. Officially opening in November, the business is still in its infancy. The mechanic not only has a plan for off-road vehicles and motorcycles but is also going to be servicing daily drivers.

“I’m going to offer basic services on vehicles—fluid changes, tire changes, and other minor repairs. I also have a select group of trustworthy and knowledgeable mechanics from around town. If you need something done, just ask—that’s what I’m here for.”

Gregory’s vision is to ensure that if motorcycles, UTVs, ATVs, and dirt bikes break down around the Renovo area, there will be reliable service available.