Well call me old fashioned but I would rather have a 69 Chevelle than an 85 Mazda today.
I dont think, once one is loaded with the weight the OP is talking about, that you could tell the difference between one rim and the other. It's just not something that translates into detectable "feel" like that in those conditions.
Tires do though, but you can put all sorts of rubber on all sorts of wheels.
I ride 1.75 Marathons on my converted 26" mtb and they are way fat enough to absorb the road vibe. No need for balloon tires and aggressive off road geometry for loaded road touring.
However, you can tour on off road or road bikes, thin or fat tires, which is the jist of my point: that the bike isn't really important enough to be specific.
Last edited by Happy Feet; 03-17-17 at 07:52 PM.