The biggest problem with chrome wheels these days is the fact that most are aluminum. Aluminum is difficult to plate when compared to steel; after fighting that problem for years many of the auto companies are now installing "chrome clad" wheels rather than truly chromed wheels. The thin exterior steel shell is chromed and then permanently bonded to the aluminum wheel, resulting in a more durable finish at a lower cost.
As for the salt air, yes it can cause etching or pitting of polished aluminum in a heartbeat. That is not necessarily the case for a good chrome surface, however. I live in an area where they love to put 2 inches of road salt on a 1 inch snowfall, and the chrome clad wheels on Momma's CUV show absolutely no sign of damage from the salt at all. And even if salt did cause some pitting, that should not cause good chrome plating to peel. Many folks with 2004 SEEG's had wheels and other chromed parts peel, and many of those folks lived no where near the ocean. The plating was substandard, period. The MoCo seems to go through periods of this sort of problem, possibly related to whomever has the contract for the plated parts at a particular time. It's not just the wheels, btw, but the other parts like floorboards and hand or foot controls as well.
As for the original question posed in this thread, the ESP does not cover cosmetic issues. However, you should still try to get H-D to assist with the replacement cost. I would first go to the dealer and ask for his assistance. If he doesn't want to step up himself, ask him to at least contact the MoCo on your behalf. If the dealer can't help, then contact the MoCo directly. State the facts as you see them, indicate your disappointment in the durability of the parts on your flagship CVO motorcycle, state what you think would be a fair response to your problem, and then ask them to assist you. They may decide to replace the wheel, they may decide to pay for a portion of the replacement, or they may blow you off. You'll never know until you ask.
Jerry