yes I agree, as long as your not using a rim brake, most automotive base/clear urethanes should hold up very well indeed, with some of the candies (colored tinted clears) being the most spectacular looking, especially if applied over the bare aluminum. (over a machined rim would look SWEET!)


remember that bare aluminum needs some special prep work, and usually a sealer before the color and clear.

pretty much anything rattlecan will look good at first, but wear, chip and peel very quickly, ESPECIALLY on a wheel (which take a beating)

there is some special stuff from these guys:
ww.por-15.com
but it's kinda weird stuff (xylene based), and does NOT behave like a standard urethane, however once you get over the (rather steep) learning curve, they have some of the most durable stuff available on the planet right now, especially the direct to metal coatings.

obviously to use any of this stuff you need compressor, paint gun (detail guns are your friend here) GOOD respirator* and a space to shoot.

(*isocyantes are NO joke)