By the 1940s, Buco evolved to produce horsehide rider's jackets manufactured entirely in-house, quickly recognized as some of the era's finest leather outerwear. The jackets from the 1940s and 1950s remain Buco's masterpieces, setting quality and design benchmarks that still influence leather jacket makers today. In 1966, American Safety Equipment Corporation acquired the brand, marking a new chapter in its legacy.

By then, Buco had become deeply intertwined with motorcycle culture, particularly the outlaw biker scene that flourished in postwar America. Veterans seeking freedom and camaraderie on the open road adopted Buco's jackets, belts, and jerseys as their uniform. Garrison belts, once military issue, were paired with denim and leather in civilian life, while striped jerseys - reminiscent of prison uniforms - became countercultural statements against formal prewar motorcycle gatherings.

Buco's story is one of craftsmanship and identity. Its products became symbols of defiance, independence, and fraternity, worn by those who found in motorcycling a substitute for wartime experience and community on the fringes of mainstream society. Today, the Buco name endures as an icon of Americana motorcycle history and postwar rebellion.