You know, there has to be a price for living in paradise. If you would prefer living in the armpit of the country, perhaps you and I could trade places. 
Here's the thing about chrome plating, and you already hit on it in your post. If the base material is already oxidized or contaminated, the plating will not hold up. Of course, the plater is supposed to control those things and not just dump oxidized parts into the process. That's why I say the peeling issue is a manufacturing defect and should be warranted. Now pitting is a different thing and can be related to all that salt air over in paradise, or road salt here in the snow belt.
Btw, just because H-D says something doesn't mean it's gospel. They have been known to scrounge for every possible excuse to deny warranty coverage, and just love to tell folks that's normal, they all do it, we don't cover cosmetic items, it failed because of your modifications, we just don't like you and wish you would go away, etc.
Jerry
Here's how bad it is here..
SE Vrod, 3 months old... garage kept, chrome started peeling. NO coverage. Customer was NOT happy and took varios course of actions including legal ones. Claim was still denied.
Its not like salt on the roads that gets kicked up when you ride, the salt air is everywhere.
Chrome plating in itself is not a foolproof process, and each layer is not impermiable by the elements. Inner corners of a component are more likely to peel or otherwise oxidize first, as will the openings in the cool billet pieces as there is less adhesion of the layers of material in those spots.
Copper, Nickle, Chrome (Sometimes in multiple layers) And its not always prep work that is failing. There are simply some parts that should not be chrome.
Rear brake lever in Steel, NO Issues with 65K and hardly ever cleaned (My old DD FLSTFI) compared to my 6 month old FLTRSE3 with more maintenance and care than the FLSTFI ever got in its life. (Maybe not now... momma rides it now and actually cleans it)
I have had HD billet mirrors on the Fatboy as well, the chrome failed in the stems just lke the CVO mirrors do. There is also a way to get more electroplating adhesion in those spots, but the process is more lengthy and thus more costly.
Remember also that oxidation requires 1) OXYGEN and 2) Metal (Something to oxidize)
Cost of living in paradise? Dont I know it... try Cost of Living, Home prices, and Being held hostage by the HD distributor as well as the State of Hawaii!
I'll be honest, if our family home wasnt here and we didnt have to care for mom as she ages, we'd be gone and somewhere else in the country.
Author
Topic: Chrome Issues (Read 2851 times)