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I prefer frame and handlebars/tripe tree. I prefer ratchet straps (not junk ones) to cam straps - even though I say that Laidlaw uses cam straps. Safety clasps on the hooks make sense because if bouncing enough a strap could momentarily lose its tension and the hook could become unhooked. My current set up doesn't have the safety clasps however and have never had a problem but I use four straps on the front (2 frame and 2 handlebar/triple tree) and two in the back - typically off of the passenger pegs. Condor (or equivalent) makes life easier, especially if doing this by yourself.
I got this brand new Maxxtow wheel chock off of facebook marketplace for $70, and I bought these harley straps, I'm sure there are less expensive solutions, but I didn't have the time to shop around, I wanted my bike tow to be solid and problem free and it was. I strapped the handlebars on both sides, I'm not even sure I really had to with this wheel chock, it really works well.
FWIW, I once transported my BMW R100 from South Dakota to Michigan in the back of a 16' U HAUL box truck with nothing to secure the bike other than the coil of rope that I bought at the U HAUL store. Everything went fine, it's not rocket science.
I always use rachet tie downs behind the lower leg above where the fender bolts to it. The only compression is minimal on the tire to the chock. I always use a chock. Tie downs compressing the suspension or worse the bars risk blowing a fork seal why do it. Thats like jambing on your front breaks unnecessarily. If you have a security system remember to put it in travel mode.
If the bike is newer with a security system, don't forget to put it in trailer mode or disconnect the battery,
Or you could just keep the fob with the bike.
BTW, I have HD tie down brackets attached to the front of my Ultra. They attach to the running light bracket bolts, so they are high on the fork.
I've never had a problem partially compressing the front end.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
