SOURCE FOR ALLOY RIMS (2008)

Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
9
I'm interested in fitting Ed with valanced [shouldered] alloy rims [Borrani - Akront/Morad - Excel.] Has anyone had experience with particular products or vendors?
 
You don't have a lot of choice here. Akront and Borranni are no longer in the business. Buchanan may have a few WM2-19 Akronts left, but when they are gone that's it. Morad supposedly has the Akront tooling. The Excel rims are clear anodized which may keep them shiny longer, but don't have quite the polish attainable without it.

I have a set of Akronts on my cafe racer. Good quality, no complaints. If the Morads are of the same quality you should have no problem.

Buchanan sells Excel, Central Wheel, Morad. Mike Partridge from Walridge Motors can get the Morads. Buchanan's direct or Old Britts (among others) can get you the Excel.
 
I have Morads on my BM. They are not the flanged type, but the quality is good. I'd have no problem using Morad.
 
I have shouldered Excel rims, polished and laced by Buchanan's. Good stuff.

I have heard horror stories about the newer Morads having quality control issues like not being drilled properly and tolerances being out.
 
Hello all,

Seems like a good time to continue on with this 14 year old thread. I have a few questions that I hope you folks can help me with.

I would like to have alloy rims laced to my Commando 750 hubs. Reducing rotational weight is the primary reason why. I heard that Excel rims are the best way to go for that. The lightest. Is that Correct?

A gentleman from Buchanan wants to know what rim sizes and type I'm looking for. This will show what they have available: http://www.buchananspokes.com/categories/excel.asp

He said to look under the "Excel Rims - Dimpled section". Does that sound right? I'll be having DOT approved tires and the only riding is on the road. Though I've never been on a track amongst racers I do think that I ride rather aggressively. Plenty of dirtbike, mountainbike and BMX racing history. So far only a bit of my brain has been removed after a crash. So far so good. Still got plenty more of it up there.

As far as size goes, coloradonortonworks.net uses 2.15 front and 2.50 rear. 19" diameter front and 18" rear. Does that sound appropriate?

I'm also looking for the proper tool to remove the front wheel from my 1971 Norton 750. None of my sockets or wrenches fit the front axle. I measured the flat spot to flat spot head of the axle and found 15/16". The measurment was taken with a vernier caliper. Should I purchase a 15/16 socket? I ask because it seems to be a pretty unusual socket size. Kind of odd.

Lastly, should the socket or wrench I buy be the whitworth standard? Is the only difference between whitworth and SAE, where they measure the bolt size? Like 15/16 whitworth is for a bolt with the threaded section having a 15/16" diameter while an SAE 15/16 bolt has a head diameter of 15/16"? The more I read about this stuff, the more confused I get. o_O

Please help me out! Thanks very much.
 
Last edited:
Lastly, should the socket or wrench I buy be the whitworth standard?

No, it is 15/16" hexagon size.

Is the only difference between whitworth and SAE, where they measure the bolt size? Like 15/16 whitworth is for a bolt with the threaded section having a 15/16"

Not exactly as Whitworth jaw sizes aren't fractional so a Whitworth spanner marked 15/16W is 1.50" jaw size but the size marked does refer to the bolt/thread diameter and not the hexagon size.

Also, the many non-British Standard fasteners used on a Commando are Unified Thread Standard, (UTS) not "SAE" (an obsolete specification for threaded fasteners).

...while an SAE 15/16 bolt has a head diameter of 15/16"?

A spanner/wrench for a Unified (not SAE) fastener is normally marked with the hexagon AF (Across Flats, not diameter) size and not the thread diameter.
 
A spanner/wrench for a Unified (not SAE) fastener is normally marked with the hexagon AF (Across Flats, not diameter) size and not the thread diameter.


My bad, meant to type AF and not diameter. Thanks very much for your help.
 
I got the Excel 19” x 2.15 from Buchanan, front and rear, without the clear coat. They laced them up with stainless spokes. They are probably lighter, and they look great.
If you plan on keeping your motorcycle, get a basic set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets, as those fasteners are scattered about the machine, mixed in with various other configurations, some of which are so close to Whitworth that you can only do damage by using the wrong tool.
 
My bad, meant to type AF and not diameter. Thanks very much for your help.

Also, certain tools for British fasteners are marked 'BS' (British Standard) instead of 'W' so a spanner/wrench marked BS (not necessarily BSF) for instance, 5/16 BS has the same jaw size as 1/4 W (0.525").
 
I got the Excel 19” x 2.15 from Buchanan, front and rear, without the clear coat. They laced them up with stainless spokes. They are probably lighter, and they look great.
If you plan on keeping your motorcycle, get a basic set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets, as those fasteners are scattered about the machine, mixed in with various other configurations, some of which are so close to Whitworth that you can only do damage by using the wrong tool.


Do you know if you got dimpled or shouldered ones? I've had very many bikes, old and new, but have never paid attention to the rims. Thanks
 
Shouldered are a bit harder to keep clean. Spent the afternoon buffing mine....chrome or stainless rims have much to be said for them!
 
Recently laced a pair of Morad's. Both are shouldered dimpled rims , the rear came first and I had a hard time getting it to true. The dimples and lacing were true. The weld area was the problem. I thought this is what you get when you go cheap! Then the front arrived, what a difference in quality! It was wonderful. Called the supplier and he confessed there were some quality control problems. My rear rim was wider width(custom). Bottom line is had I gotten the front first ,I would have sent the rear rim back. Buchanan's did a Exel flat tract rear rim drilled for the Norton drum break hub and it was wonderful, but a little salty priced. If I couldn't lace a wheel living in USA Buchanan's would be my only choice
 
I have Borrani shouldered rims both front and rear that Buchanans did for me.They were pricey but the job was flawless. I also had them polished along with the spokes and front hub.They have been in business for quite some time and know Nortons.All offsets were perfect. I highly recommend them
Mike
 
Thank you all for your thoughts and I apologize for my slow reply. My job occupies quite a bit of my time.

I'll likely be going with a 19" front and 18" rear Excel rims. A tire thread on this forum promotes the heck out of Avon AM26 tires. If those are the ones for aggressive riding then can anyone suggest the proper Excel rim width for them, and the proper tire width? Here is a link to the tires: https://www.avontyres.com/en-gb/tyres/am26-roadrider

Of course I see Colorado Norton Works saying 100/90-19 front and 120/90-18 rear and the Avon AM26 doesn't seem to have that size rear...

However there is an AM26 100/90-19 rear available. Could just stick to 19" rear but is that too narrow?

Also, I see the AM26 is listed as a race tire. Does that mean that it is not very sticky unless the tires are heated up before the race? I think I read something about that once before...


Please don't think I'm lazy about all of this. Like I said before I ride a bit aggressively (can get the rear end of my Triumph Sprint ST sliding coming out of corners when I'm in the mood) but don't have 100% faith in my choice between tires and rims if the whole thing is going to cost maybe a couple grand. :eek:

THANK YOU ALREADY!
 
Hello all,

Seems like a good time to continue on with this 14 year old thread. I have a few questions that I hope you folks can help me with.

I would like to have alloy rims laced to my Commando 750 hubs. Reducing rotational weight is the primary reason why. I heard that Excel rims are the best way to go for that. The lightest. Is that Correct?

A gentleman from Buchanan wants to know what rim sizes and type I'm looking for. This will show what they have available: http://www.buchananspokes.com/categories/excel.asp

He said to look under the "Excel Rims - Dimpled section". Does that sound right? I'll be having DOT approved tires and the only riding is on the road. Though I've never been on a track amongst racers I do think that I ride rather aggressively. Plenty of dirtbike, mountainbike and BMX racing history. So far only a bit of my brain has been removed after a crash. So far so good. Still got plenty more of it up there.

As far as size goes, coloradonortonworks.net uses 2.15 front and 2.50 rear. 19" diameter front and 18" rear. Does that sound appropriate?

I'm also looking for the proper tool to remove the front wheel from my 1971 Norton 750. None of my sockets or wrenches fit the front axle. I measured the flat spot to flat spot head of the axle and found 15/16". The measurment was taken with a vernier caliper. Should I purchase a 15/16 socket? I ask because it seems to be a pretty unusual socket size. Kind of odd.

Lastly, should the socket or wrench I buy be the whitworth standard? Is the only difference between whitworth and SAE, where they measure the bolt size? Like 15/16 whitworth is for a bolt with the threaded section having a 15/16" diameter while an SAE 15/16 bolt has a head diameter of 15/16"? The more I read about this stuff, the more confused I get. o_O

Please help me out! Thanks very much.
I have the valenced Excel rims, and sm very happy with them.

Here is as comprehensive a list compiled if weights of various wheel components as I have seen


I would recommend WM3 rims for modern tire profiles.

If you go with 18" rear, an AM26 4.00-18 rear had almost identical rolling diameter to a 100/90-19 front. Or you can go with a 90/90-19 for more perceived quick handling.
 
Back
Top