Assuming no problems are found, the final and most critical phase of the operation is to check the spokes. The time-honored method is to give each one a tap with a small wrench or screwdriver handle and listen to the sound. A nice, clear ping indicates the spoke is reasonably tight, while a flat, dull thunk means it's loose, and, as you can guess, a loose spoke is little more than a broken one that hasn't had the good sense to come apart yet.
Frankly, I don't use the ping-and-ring method anymore; it's a little too subjective and I'm as deaf as a post, anyway. However, it is a good way to make a cursory check. Just remember, you're not tuning a zither, so don't expect every spoke to hit a perfect C-sharp.
A far more accurate method of checking spoke tension is to use a spoke nipple wrench or, even better, a spoke nipple torque wrench. If you've never seen one, a spoke wrench is a short wrench with square-cut jaws designed to fit snugly over the spoke nipple. They're available from any motorcycle dealer for less than 10 bucks, and if you don't know what size to order, you can get a universal wrench that'll cover the most commonly used sizes. Special-designed spoke torque wrenches work best, but they're more expensive; a really good one, like Fasst Company's adjustable model with interchangeable heads, runs nearly 300 bucks, so unless you plan on truing a lot of wheels, a torque wrench is something of an extravagance.
Start at spoke No. 1, skip...
Start at spoke No. 1, skip No. 2 and No. 3 and tighten No. 4. Skip the next two, and so on. When you've worked your way back to the start move ahead one spoke and repeat the sequence.
Starting with the spoke nearest the tire valve stem, apply moderate pressure with your wrench. Moderate means just that; typically, spokes are tightened to somewhere between 20 and 60 in.-lbs., which equates to 1.6 to 5 lbs.-ft. That's not much, and it's easy to overtighten the spoke if you get ham-fisted. I should also warn you that it's difficult (if not impossible) to accurately torque a corrosion-seized spoke. If the nipples are rusty or obviously loose and resist tightening, it's time to have the wheel looked at by a pro. Chances are the nipples have seized, and if that's the case, you'll need to consider plan B, especially if the wheel is badly out of true.
If the nipple turns easily, give it no more than a quarter turn. Skipping the next three spokes, repeat the procedure at the fourth spoke in line. The butt end of that one should be on the opposite side of the rim from the first. Work your way around the rim giving every fourth spoke no more than a quarter turn. When you get back to the original spoke, move to the next one in line, again tightening every fourth spoke. Repeat the procedure until all the spokes are nice and snug. Doing it this way may seem tedious compared with just tightening every spoke in line, but going at it the easy way may pull the wheel out of true. The every-fourth-spoke method takes longer but ensures the rim stays round, and as we all know, a round wheel is a happy wheel, a happy wheel makes for a happy motorcycle and a happy motorcycle always has a happy rider.
True or Not?
Truing an out-of-round wheel
What we haven't discussed here in any detail is truing an out-of-round wheel. Part of the problem is that truing a wheel requires a level of expertise and patience that goes beyond that of ordinary preventive maintenance. Also, a novice can take a slightly out-of-true rim and turn it into a wobbly mess in less time than it took to write this sentence. For that reason, I'd suggest that if you're unlucky enough to encounter a seriously warped or damaged wheel, you have it professionally rebuilt. Of course, if you'd like to learn how to do it on your own, there are several excellent books and videos out there that detail the procedure.