Wow! this runs the gambet on tieing down a motorcycle...
I've trailered many a motorcycle over my 45 years of riding, everything from dirt bike, motorcross to large touring biks and trikes.

#1. Never, NEVER use handlebars as a tie down point!
#2. I wouldn't use the engine guard as a tie down point.
#3. First, buy a good set of soft ties
#4. Buy a good set of tie downs, ratchet prefered.
#5. Use a good front wheel anchor, I like the wheel chock style, Harbor Feight sells a good knockoff.
#6. Use good anchor points on the trailer, use grade 8 bolts, backing plates etc...

Now that you have the trailer set up...
1. Pull the bike into the wheel chock, leave the side stand down.
2. slide the soft ties over the lower tripple trees, be mindful of the break lines etc. loop one end through the other of the soft ties after sliding it over the lower tripple tree.
3. On the left side place one tie down strap hook into the exposed end of the soft tie and the other end into you tie down point of the trailer, take the slack out of the tie down strap, not tight, just the slack.
4. On the right side repeat the left side...Now gently pull the bike towards the right side and tighten the tie down strap, move to the left side and tighten the strap, back to the right side and tighten a little more...repeat as necessary until the bike is secure. I do compress the forks, not compleatly, but its down there good...
5. Grab the handle bars and see if the bike shakes, it'll move a little but should be good and secure in the wheel chock..

As for the rear, I don't always tie off the rear. Depends on the flooring of the trailer. when I do I use two straps. I wrap one through the rear tire and put both tie down hooks in the same tie down point of the trailer, I use a second one and repeat. I tie them down making an X. One strap pulls to the left and the other pills right...I don't tighten a bunch, just secure the rear.

That's it...when you remove the bike, start by removing the rear straps, bike is not moving at this point.
Next, slowly release most of the tension on the strap on the right side, let the bike come over on the sidestand ( that's why I leave it down) release the strap on the left, and then release all of the right side and then left side....back bike out or off trailer...easy..

 

2 absolute NEVERS when trailering; surprised no one mentioned this:

1. Never tie down & trailer a bike while on the kickstand, &

2. Never trailer a bike with a cover on it.

Doing either one of these can cost you dearly.

 

dicky,
Don't misunderstand, when I leave the side stand down and after tieing down the bike, the side stand is not touching the floor. It doesn't support the bike in any way, it just assists in removing the straps....nothing more...

 

How can compressing front forks cause movement?

 

A LOT of good advice...

I recently posted some pics of a FLHTCU here... https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...wn-method.html

'Geeza Gear' makes a cover that is designed to be used under-tow...

 

I trailer all the time and I tie to special brackets on each side of the front fork. Compressing the front spring slightly not all the way down. Yes I use ratchet straps and tie them off after compressing the forks with half hitch knots to eliminate any strap slippage. I no longer tie the back side down. The handle bar were a poor choice even with soft straps. The tie downs would hit the fairing, simply a poor mounting choice for the big touring bikes.

 

[QUOTE=mike5511;11581718]Yeah, everybody should be just like you!!!!! how @#$%^&* boring!
No to be like me you have to have a sense of humor and understand what a joke is.
Seems like you have some anger issues man. You should go see a specialist about that.

 

Great amount of information, links, videos and pics! One of the many reasons I love this board.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

 

I picked up a set of tie down brackets at the local H-D shop.
They work great.
http://www.harley-davidson.com/store/tie-down-brackets

 

I think this would put excess side load on the seals that will start leaking. I'd use strap extenders on the bars and than ratchet them down to the floor