I'm looking to get some wheels for my 04 Wide Glide and was told by the wheel mfg that polished aluminum is just as bright as crome and not worth spending the extra to have them chromed. How fast does the polished aluminum fade and need repolished. I don't mind cleaning them every week if they stay bright. Should I just spend the extra to get them chromed. Anyone have some pics of some polished Aluminum wheels on there bike.

 

Polished aluminum is not as reflective as chrome but it approaches it and some like that look, me included. The problem is chrome is also protective. Polished aluminum is unprotected from the elements and starts to lose it's shine as soon as you stop polishing it unless you protect it. You can protect it with clear coat, powder coat, anodizing, or a diy coating like zoops. All of these have drawbacks and one common drawback is they cause a loss of shine right off the bat. If you are truly cool with caring for your wheels with a little polishing once a week you'll be fine with bare polished aluminum. Especially if you like a little shine along with a little patina (in the crooks and cranny's that are so hard to polish). Thats what i like about polished aluminum. It's shiny but not blingy!

 

Gotta go chrome.

 

Got bare aluminum wheels, and a bunch of other stuff on my Big Dog and will not ride that bike if I think I will get caught in the rain, with all the aluminum on my Dog it takes me hours of polishing to get that shine back. I now have a Road King also and will not put any bare aluminum on it, only Chrome, in fact just purchased a chrome 21" wheel for the front. Go with Chrome, trust me you will get tired of the polishing and I think your in the land of Lincoln and it rains there, at least it did when I lived there.

 

There is a 3rd. option... my front rim (RWC) in Stainless polished, and I love it.
Less BLING, and rich as hell. Everyone asks me about it.
To answer yur question, Polished Alum. is classy!