I believe the corrosion you all are speaking about can be caused by salt, but also by brake pad dust. This dust is extremely corrosive and probably the main reason HD calls for weekly cleaning. Add rain or high humidity, and you'll get blemishes and pitting. Since the front forks are right there next to the discs, they get hit as well.
I'm going to try Armor-All's Wheel protectant for alloy wheels. I've heard it works by preventing dust from adhering. If this doesn't work, I'll try clear coating the wheels with spray lacquer.

 

I agree on the cause being brake dust as well. Was cleaning my 12 flhx with under 500 miles and already finding corrosion spots on my wheels. Never seen a lick of salt yet. I plan on wiping them down with a silicone spray.

 

Dear Washington rider, Sorry but that liquid deicer they cover all the roads with eats away aluminum faster than you can say, soapy wash and rinse. It is salt. Calcium Chloride is the most common lowland, bridges, etc deicer, followed by Magnesium Chloride which is prefered in the mountain passes. Sodium chloride is used, but it is the most toxic, the most corrosive, and is used the least in Washington. It's main advantage is it is cheap. But Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride are corrosive as well.

Wash you bike down with cool water. I used to use warm water but a friend who restores motocycles told me that hot or warm water can drive the salt crystals into seams, creavases, etc. I do use a mild soap.

On News Years we rode Marine View drive, ate at Edison, and route 9 home. Bike had a coat of road deicer when I got homw. Rinsed it well with cold water.

Don't know about the brake dust, makes sense. Don't brake anymore. What can happen if you wash it off? Well, if you wash you bike down, water gets trapped under the brake pads and you will get surface rust. At somepoint, we just learn to live with it.

Keep a light coat of canuba wax on your wheels and forks. It resists salt and acids well. It does come off with soap, but water does not remove it as a protective layer. Other than that, chrome everything. There is a reason for chrome on motorcycles. Good chrome is hard to beat as a metal surface protector.

 

oh yes, she gets a bath after beachside.

 

I bought a set of brand new lower take offs for $30 on ebay and just switched them out. The wheels will shine up with a little attention.

 

I have pitting as well as the black lip on my rim is chipping. I took it to Harley and pointed out that the bike is a year old and not only is the rim pitting and dull but the forks have as well. It looks as if my forks were hit by several rocks. I was told it was elemental because i was asked do i ride in snow and around salt. My bike was not on any roads during snow season. But i couldn't for the life of me understand why a bike so expensive meant for riding the world sees corrosion in one riding season?