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Towing Tips
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• I think I'd avoid tying this bike down by the crash bars. An 1800 here in Phoenix went down on its right side at about 30 mph. Scraped up the fairing and right rear crash bar and saddlebag lid. When the shop attempted to install a new crash bar, it wouldn't fit - there was a large gap. Turns out that this modest accident bent the frame in at the point where the crash bar attaches. $3000 for a new frame plus another $3000 for installation. Hope he had adequate insurance!
   
• First you need a front wheel chock. Using soft ties (similar material to tie downs with fabric loops at each end rather than metal hooks) you should attach the tie downs to the triple tree base plate just above the shocks and then to the passenger hand grabs near the bike also using the soft ties. I also think that by putting a second tie down in each location you can really snug the first tie down in each corner. If you want to place additional tie downs around the four crash guards I am confident that they will not damage the bike but will be of value on a long haul.
  In March while there was still plenty of snow, my buddy and I trailered to Bike Week. He used 6 tie downs on his HD Fatboy and I used 12 tie downs on my 1800. I asked him to put a couple more on but he said that 6 were plenty. Somewhere in Tennessee he was pulling his bike off mine (no damage) and adding more ties. Never saw a bike that had too many. Of course on a local haul I would not use so many but the four spots that I mentioned would all get tied.
     
• Boy, I sure wish that the tow truck company that Honda chose to use knew the right way to lash down a bike to a flatbed truck. Your suggestion to lash down the triple tree sounds right on but lashing down to the rear hand rails isn't really much better (if at all) than using the rear crash bars. The bolts are relatively small and, to make matters worst, extend quite a ways before threading into the frame which could cause the bolts to bend or worse.
    
• The rear handles are recommended in the Gold Book - published by the GWRRA. By attaching to the handles, the distance to the bolt is very short, and as such it is almost like attaching to the bolt. In addition the handle bolts are not real short and they do thread through the frame - about 1" of thread. The crash guard is longer - it
  was engineered to protect in the event of a fall. Its strength is derived while being pushed toward the bike, not pulled away. I connect the soft tie on the side rail of the handle not the center - even if you choose the center of the handle it would be safe as the load would be distributed evenly between two bolts. Many GL owners have tried each location - Crash bars alone have been a problem while the triple tree and the hand grabs are not. I would choose the extra locations only for a long haul. Almost forgot - there will be guys that were at the dealer when there baby was uncrated and will testify that the crash bars are the method that Honda ships the bike - There is a big difference between attaching the bike to a crate and then placing the crate in a semi vs.lashing the bike directly to a small trailer or flatbed.