Couple of questions about the spoked wheels on the EX

[VLJ_imp]

To the best of my recollection, I've never owned a bike with spoked wheels. I checked the owner's manual, and there isn't a single mention of the spokes. I asked the service department, and they had no idea. So...

1. Do these spokes require any sort of maintenance? I know that the spokes on motocrossers and trail bikes require periodic tightening, but what about these spokes? Being a streetbike, are the wheels constructed in such a way that it obviates the need for spoke maintenance?

2. What's the best stuff to to use to clean them? Following the ride home from the 600-mile service, suddenly the rear wheel is absolutely caked in gunk.