I'm about to talk with Chrome Pros (and I'll ask them the same). I ride the bike year round and it is parked out on the street. I'm thinking of exchanging my stock 03 FB wheels for a chromed set.

Will chrome in general be able to withstand the environment for a few years? Is there any treatment (besides just trying to keep them clean) I can apply to improve their chance of survival?

Other chrome on my bike varies in its survival rate. The HD floorboards are completely peeled up while most of the stock engine and Kuryakin parts still look good. Is there a chrome process I should be asking Chrome Pros (or other vendors) about to make sure their parts are truly quality?

Winters in Northern VA are mostly cold but not a lot of snow. When it does snow (or threatens), they dump a ton of chemicals on the ground. After a winter, the stock wheels look terrible and are near impossible to clean.

 

If you can't wash it after every ride, while there is chemicals on the road, I don't think you have much hope. The one thing in your favor is parking it outside. Keeping the bike cold slows the rusting process.
Why not wait until the weather is good ,for the new wheels and put your old ones back on for the winter months?
Tom

 

They are aluminum, so they won't rust. They might peel, but they won't rust.

 

The only other thing I know will protect your chrome (or anything else) from the Winter is a good waxing. If you wax your chrome before Winter, then it'll provide a bit of protection against those chemicals. Use a good quality wax though.

 

Excellent responses! I didn't consider swapping the wheels for the seasons because I was thinking of doing an exchange but - swapping the wheels out may give me time to have the stock ones cleaned up for the next season. At least I won't be so embarrassed by them.

If I decide not to do an exchange, that also opens up other possibilities. I was considering Chrome Pros simply because they seem to have a solid exchange program. I'll have to search around a bit more for other options to consider.

I'll also give the waxing a try on other parts. Never thought of waxing chrome but it makes sense to me now.

 

Wax does very little to stop rust on chrome....Don't believe me? Take a piece of chromed steel, particulary some cheapo chrome that the MoCo uses, wax half, leave half bare. Lay it out in the elements, spray with salt water if you wanna speed things up. Both sides will rust equally.........The MoCo simply has shoddy chrome. Think about all the cars Detroit cranked out for decades with chrome all over them. They sat out year round and still took many years before they would ever rust.

The intention of chrome plating is to give you a hard, durable finish that protects the metal underneath. It isn't supposed to be something you have to baby.

 

I have chrome wheels on my 96 Dodge that look like new. I assume they are clear coated over the chrome. I wax them up one of twice a year.
I'm sure you've seen cars in the winter with nice chrome.

Ask Chrome Pros about it.

 

The chrome bumpers on my 15 year old Toyota ain't rusted, never been waxed, and see plenty of road salt. Heck, I park 50ft from a public works salt shed every day.....It's a shame when a Toyota has better chrome than a Harley.

 

I never said wax did a lot to stop rust, I said "If you wax your chrome before Winter, then it'll provide a bit of protection against those chemicals."
In my opinion, a little protection with the little bit of effort of waxing is better than none.

 

Points taken. I'm going to go with the chrome wheels from Chrome Pro Plating in TX. I'll probably do the waxing before the season changes. By the description of their process, I think it will be a quality job. They offer a 2 year warranty which is good enough for me.

I'd consider changing back to the old wheels for the winter but they'll be taking them in as an exchange.

Also, I'm going to take this opportunity to replace all the hub components and probably axles with at least stainless steel if not chrome components.

Thanks for all the advice.