A chainshop sales assisant/mechanic once told me...
"A much better quality tire will be more forgiving against bending wheels, Less quality tires will be less forgiving"
Any one have any input?

 

I think thats a little to general...depends on what the tire was designed to do...

Sidewall stiffness I think has a lot to do with it...

 

I've seen 19s and 20s bend on expensive, high quality tires just due to the fact theres no sidewall in the tire. Also comes the quality of the wheel as well: type of material, whether cast or forged, etc. There are other factors when saying something like that.