I'm (hopefully) going to be picking up my new to me S10 tomorrow. Since I'm going solo, I'll have to trailer it home. What's the recommendation for tying it down? (bonus points for pictures!)
I tie the front on the lower part of the triple tree on each side, and the passenger handles (at where it bolts to the frame) on the rear. I do have crash bars, and have used them, but I feel better using the frame.
Correct on the Handlebars on 2014-up. Don't use them!
You will stress the rubber mount bushings on the top triple-clamp.
I trailered mine from Houston Texas area to Denver.
Front straps, hooked through holes in front engine mount plate.
Rear straps around rear subframe.
I never had to readjust my straps. they stayed tight the whole trip!
I trailered from mid Indiana to the UP of Michigan (550 miles) in a enclosed u-haul trailer. I mounted a wheel chock onto a 3/4” 4’x8’ sheet of plywood then used 4 tie downs just snugged down so it wouldn’t move side to side. The roads in ohio were terribly rough (l-75 especially!) but I did not have to tighten them down at all through the entire trip. The front is held down on the crash bars near their interior mounting point. Here is a picture after just getting into Michigan.
Made it home! The bike stayed on the trailer the whole way, but about a mile from the house, one of the straps broke and the bike decided to take a nap. Fortunately, it missed the trailer rails by about 3 inches and didn't hurt anything. I just left it there and drove slowly the rest of the way home.
I'm now 0 for 2 in trailering attempts...I think I'll just stick to riding the bikes where they need to go.