Buchanan's Spoke & Rim

What Buchanan's Spoke & Rim does

Buchanan's Spoke & Rim, Inc. is a second-generation, family-owned specialty manufacturer and distributor of motorcycle wire-wheel components, headquartered at 805 W. Eighth St., Azusa, California. Founded in 1958 by Jim Buchanan as Buchanan's Frame Shop, the company shifted from frame repair to in-house spoke manufacturing in 1971, began selling pre-packaged spoke kits to other wheel repair shops in 1975, and launched its proprietary Sun Rims aluminum line in 1987. The current product portfolio spans Buchanan's-manufactured spokes (stainless, carbon, chrome) and nipples (stainless, carbon, chrome, nickel, zinc, brass, aluminum), the proprietary Sun Rims brand built from 6,000 series U.S. aluminum with +/- .015 inch concentricity tolerance, and authorized distribution of multiple third-party rim lines including Italian-made Borrani, Japanese Excel and D.I.D., American Spin Werkes and Kelsey-Hayes-style reproductions, plus Akront and Mandap variants. The customer base spans motorcycle owners and enthusiasts, motorcycle dealers and repair shops, vintage car restorers, and antique airplane owners, with dealer pricing, quantity pricing, custom made-to-order kits, and wheel-building labor services (polishing, lacing and truing, cut-and-re-thread, tire mounting, custom drilling) rounding out the offering.

The underlying technology is conventional precision metalworking rather than software-driven: in-house spoke cutting, bending, and threading from American drawn certified wire; custom-built drilling and punching machines; and CNC machine finishing of Sun Rims for roundness and concentricity. The company operates as a sales-led business with direct distribution through its own website, phone, fax, email, and a dealer drop-ship program (10% surcharge), shipping domestically via UPS, FedEx, and USPS and internationally with a $20 handling fee. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales of spokes, nipples, and rims, augmented by professional labor services priced from $15.50 (tire removal) to $290 (electric motor large-wattage hub lacing), with a $8 handling fee on orders under $30 and a $40 Express Handling option for expedited work.

The business is privately held by the Buchanan family with no disclosed external institutional investment, no app presence, no APIs or software integrations, and no certifications, patents, trademarks, or regulatory actions on record. Marketing is limited to the company website and Facebook page, with Spanish-language phone support staffed by Angel and Thomas. Strategic commercial relationships include an authorized U.S. distributor arrangement with Italian Borrani and a co-development supply partnership with Delta for light-duty 12 gauge spokes and nipples targeting the moped, scooter, and e-bike market.

Name

Buchanan's Spoke & Rim

Legal name

Buchanan's Spoke & Rim, Inc.

Website

https://buchananspokes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Buchanan's Spoke & Rim is a second-generation, family-owned specialty manufacturer in Azusa, California, producing in-house spokes, nipples, and proprietary Sun Rims for motorcycles, vintage cars, and antique airplanes, and distributing premium third-party rim brands (Borrani, Excel, Spin Werkes, Kelsey-Hayes, Akront, D.I.D., Mandap) to dealers, repair shops, and restoration enthusiasts since 1958.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Motorcycle Wheel Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330), Machine Shops (33271)

SIC

Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751), Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)

akta.pro primary industry

Wheels & Rims Manufacturing (Steel/Alloy) (IMACAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tire & Wheel Services (Mount/Balance/Alignment) (TLAKAAAD)

Keywords

• Motorcycle wheel components
• Wire spoke manufacturing
• Aluminum rim fabrication
• Vintage wheel restoration
• Wheel building services

Headquarters

HQ city

Azusa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Spokes, Nipples, Rims: One-time product sales of spokes, nipples, and rims to motorcycle enthusiasts, vintage car owners, dealers, and repair shops. Products include their own Sun Rims brand as well as Excel, Borrani, Spin Werkes, Akront, D.I.D., Kelsey-Hayes Style, and Mandap rims.
2. Labor Services: Wheel building and repair services including lace & true, polish, cut & re-thread, tire mounting, and custom drilling. Labor prices range from $15.50 for tire removal to $290 for electric motor large wattage hub lacing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Buchanan's Spoke & Rim manufactures and sells wire wheel components — spokes, nipples, and rims — for motorcycles, vintage cars, and antique airplanes. The company has produced its own spokes in-house since 1971 using American drawn and certified wire, and has manufactured its proprietary Sun Rims line on-site since 1987 with CNC machine finishing. It also distributes third-party rim brands (Excel, Borrani, Spin Werkes, Kelsey-Hayes, Akront, D.I.D., Mandap) and offers professional wheel building labor services including lacing, truing, polishing, re-threading, tire mounting, and custom drilling.

Product overview

Buchanan's Spoke & Rim is a second-generation family business founded in 1958, specializing in manufacturing and selling wheel components for motorcycles, vintage cars, and antique airplanes. The company operates a platform-plus-products model centered around their core manufacturing capabilities: spokes and nipples made in-house since 1971, and their proprietary Sun Rims line manufactured on-site since 1987. They distribute multiple third-party rim brands including Excel, Borrani, Spin Werkes, Kelsey-Hayes, Akront, D.I.D., and Mandap. The product portfolio includes: custom spoke kits (pre-packaged and made-to-order) for major motorcycle brands, various nipple materials (stainless steel, carbon steel, chrome, nickel, brass, aluminum), rims in multiple styles (dimpled, non-dimpled, shouldered, deep drop center), and wheel building labor services. Accessories include proprietary tools and branded merchandise. All products are customizable with options for drilling and punching to customer specifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sun Rims: Proprietary line of aluminum rims manufactured in-house since 1987. Made with 6,000 series aluminum purchased from U.S. mills, featuring custom drilling, superior concentricity, and CNC machine finishing. Available in Silver, Black, and Gold anodized finishes.

Products and services

• Spokes Buchanan's manufactures its own line of spokes in-house using American drawn and certified wire for motorcycles, vintage cars, and antique airplanes. Available in stainless steel, bare carbon steel, and chrome plated variants.
• Pre-Packaged Spoke Kits Pre-packaged spoke kits for major motorcycle brands including Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph, BSA, Norton, Ducati, and BMW. Manufactured by Buchanan's on site and offered at discounted prices.
• Made To Order Spoke Kits Custom made-to-order spoke kits built to specific hub application requirements. Orders are accepted in writing via email, fax, or standard mail.
• Design Spoke Kits Design spoke kits for custom wheel applications with pattern finishes including New Diamond, Spiral, Ripple, and Tortoise Shell.
• Nipples Spoke nipples available in stainless steel, bare carbon steel, chrome plated steel, nickel plated steel, zinc plated steel (blue and yellow), nickel plated brass, and aluminum. Various thread sizes and body diameters available.
• Sun Rims Buchanan's proprietary line of aluminum rims manufactured on-site from 6000 series aluminum sourced from U.S. mills. Concentricity and diameter tolerance within plus or minus .015 inches, with CNC machine finishing. Available in Silver, Black, and Gold anodized finishes.
• Excel Rims Japanese-made aluminum rims distributed by Buchanan's. Available in dimpled, shouldered, and non-dimpled variants, with chromed options for Harley and Performance Machine applications.
• Borrani Rims Italian-made iconic Borrani dimpled aluminum rims for vintage racing and restoration applications. Shouldered rims available in various sizes with custom punching options. Buchanan's is an authorized distributor.
• Spin Werkes Steel Rims American-made spun steel rims in bare steel or chrome plated. Custom dimpled and punched for Harley and Japanese Cruiser applications.
• Kelsey-Hayes Style Rims Reproduction vintage Kelsey-Hayes/Firestone style steel rims used on Harley and Indian motorcycles from the 1930s to 1960s. Available in bare steel or chrome plated.
• Akront Rims Aluminum rims available in TYPO 'TC' (non-dimpled shoulderless) and TYPO 'TR' (conventional dimpled shoulderless) styles. Custom punched to order.
• D.I.D. Rims Japanese D.I.D. aluminum rims in 40-hole configurations. Deep drop center rims requiring shorter spokes. Available with optional deluxe show polished finish.
• Mandap Steel Rims Dimpled blank steel rims for Japanese 1960s and 1970s era and early Motocross restorations. Available in unplated bare steel or chrome plated. Designed for 250cc motorcycles and smaller.
• Tools and Accessories Buchanan's exclusive wheel building tools including chrome wheel balance weights, double-ended open-end spoke wrenches, torque wrench nipple adapters, and stainless steel lubricant.
• Wheel Building Labor Services Professional wheel building services including rim polishing, spoke kit polishing, individual spoke and nipple polishing, cut and re-threading, motorcycle and automobile wire wheel lace and true, tire mounting, wheel balancing, and custom rim drilling and punching. Labor prices range from $0.43 (re-thread individual spoke) to $290 (electric motor large wattage hub lacing).
• Delta Spokes and Nipples Light duty 12 gauge spokes and nipples offered through a partnership with Delta for mopeds, scooters, and electric bicycles. Buchanan's purchases spokes in blank form and completes manufacturing by cutting, bending, and threading to fit customer applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 68 years in business

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DeltaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuchanan's partnered with Delta to offer light duty 12 gauge spokes and nipples for mopeds, scooters, and electric bicycles. Buchanan's purchases spokes in blank form and completes manufacturing by cutting, bending, and threading to fit customer applications.
• Ruote Borrani S.p.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuchanan's is an authorized distributor for Italian-made Borrani rims. Listed on Ruote Borrani's website as a classic wire wheels distributor. Borrani stamps their name into every rim and Buchanan's drills them to customer specifications including stamp placement.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• D.I.D. (Daido Kogyo): Japanese manufacturer of motorcycle chains, rims, and drivetrain components including aluminum rims that Buchanan's distributes in North America. Comparable as a manufacturer of motorcycle wire-wheel rims serving vintage and OEM applications, but Buchanan's is a channel partner rather than direct competitor.
• Excel Rim (Thailand): Thai/Japanese manufacturer of aluminum motorcycle rims used in off-road, motocross, and street applications. Comparable as an OEM/aftermarket motorcycle rim manufacturer whose products Buchanan's distributes in North America, but operates at meaningfully larger scale.
• Ruote Borrani S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of iconic vintage wire wheels and rims for classic cars and motorcycles (including Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Moto Guzzi). Comparable as a wire-wheel rim manufacturer serving the vintage restoration market; Buchanan's is an authorized distributor rather than competitor.

Direct peers

• Central Wheel Components Ltd: UK-based specialist manufacturer and supplier of stainless steel spokes and nipples for motorcycle wire wheels, including vintage British, Japanese, and European marques. Direct competitor to Buchanan's in the spokes/nipples category with overlapping product lines and target customer base of restorers and dealers.
• Custom Chrome: Major U.S. distributor and brand of aftermarket parts for Harley-Davidson, vintage, and custom motorcycles, including wheels, hubs, and spoke-related components. Comparable as a B2B distributor serving motorcycle dealers and custom builders with adjacent product lines.
• Wheel Vintiques: U.S. manufacturer of steel and aluminum wheels designed for vintage cars, hot rods, and street rod restorations. Comparable as a specialty wheel manufacturer serving restoration and custom vehicle markets, with overlapping rim/wheel product offerings.
• V-Twin Manufacturing: U.S. manufacturer and distributor of aftermarket parts and accessories for V-twin Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including wheels, rims, and related components. Comparable as a specialty motorcycle aftermarket manufacturer/distributor serving the vintage and custom motorcycle segment.
• Mid-USA Motorcycle Parts: Distributor of aftermarket and reproduction parts for vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including wheels, spokes, and related wheel-building components. Comparable in serving the vintage motorcycle restorer and dealer channel with overlapping product categories.

Broad incumbents

• Tucker Rocky / All Balls Racing: Large U.S. distributor of powersports aftermarket parts, accessories, and tires serving dealers nationwide. Comparable as a B2B distribution channel into motorcycle dealers that overlaps with Buchanan's dealer-pricing program and aftermarket parts positioning.
• Bikers Choice: U.S. aftermarket motorcycle parts brand and distributor carrying wheels, tires, and accessories for V-twin and metric motorcycles. Broader incumbent offering overlapping wheel and rim categories to the same dealer and repair-shop channels as Buchanan's.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/buchananspokes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Buchanan's Spoke & Rim