Before you park it

• Fuel: top up the tank and add a fuel stabilizer — a full tank leaves less room for condensation to form inside it over months of sitting.
• Oil: change the oil and filter before storage, not after. Used oil holds contaminants that sit against engine internals the whole time it's parked.
• Battery: disconnect it or put it on a proper trickle/maintenance charger (a "battery tender," not a car charger). A battery left connected and unattended over winter is the single most common reason bikes won't start in spring.
• Wash it first. Road grime and bug residue left on for months etches into paint and chrome.

Tires

Cold temperatures drop tire pressure, and a tire sitting underinflated on the same contact patch for months can develop a flat spot. Inflate to the manufacturer's spec before storing, and if you can, get the tires off the ground entirely with a centre stand or paddock stands. No stands? Roll the bike a few inches every few weeks so it isn't resting on the same spot the whole time.

Where and how

• Store somewhere cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight — temperature swings and UV both accelerate rubber and seal degradation.
• Use a breathable motorcycle-specific cover if it's not fully indoors. A tarp that traps moisture underneath does more harm than no cover at all.
• Plug the exhaust and stuff a rag in the airbox intake if mice are a risk in your storage space — they love a warm, quiet exhaust pipe.

Getting it in the bed

• Use a proper motorcycle loading ramp rated for your bike's weight — not a piece of plywood.
• Push it up, don't ride it up. A ramp is narrow and a running engine adds risk that isn't worth it for a few feet of distance.
• If the ramp angle feels steep, parking the truck with the tailgate against a curb, mound, or gentle incline reduces the climb angle and makes pushing noticeably easier.
• Get a second person to spot and steady the bike if you can, especially for anything heavier than a small commuter bike.

Tying it down

• Four straps, not two. Two at the front, two at the rear — a single strap anywhere is one failure away from the bike going over.
• Front: loop soft-loop straps or motorcycle-specific fork straps around the fork tubes below the triple clamp, or around the frame/crash bars — not the handlebars as the main anchor point. Cinch the two sides alternately and evenly until you can see the front suspension compress slightly (roughly half an inch is a reasonable guide) — that's normal and keeps the bike from bouncing loose.
• Rear: anchor to the frame, subframe, or swingarm — never to brake lines, the chain, or plastic bodywork.
• Never let a metal hook touch the bike. Only the strap fabric (or a soft loop) should contact paint, forks, or frame — a bare hook will scratch or gouge under tension.
• Snug, not maximum-tight. Over-tightening can bind or damage suspension components. You want the bike held firmly upright with a small amount of natural suspension give, not crushed flat.
• Use motorcycle-rated ratchet straps or cam straps — the cheapest straps at the hardware store are a false economy on something this expensive.

Before you drive off

• The shake test: grab the bike by the seat or tail and give it a firm shake side to side. It shouldn't move independently of the truck bed.
• Check that all four straps are evenly tensioned — one loose strap undoes the other three.
• Tie down or tuck away any slack strap ends so they don't whip around at highway speed.
• Pull over after 10–15 minutes on the road and recheck tension — straps and a settling bike both shift slightly once you're moving.