I always tie off of the handle bars. I use 2 sets of tie downs. I have eye bolts in the floor of my trailer and in the upper rail. If I am hauling in a pickup, I always use two sets on the bars even if they are anchored in one spot in the bed. Most say two sets are overkill, but I had a brand new tie down snap and let a bike fall over, which dented the gas tank. I use something on the rear only if two bikes are side by side. I have had the rear ends shift together before the bikes "rubbed together" for a while before we discovered them. If you are hauling in a pickup, put something in front of the front wheel or you'll bend your bed wall. If you don't have a bed liner, you might want to put a board under the wheels also. I put a Road King in a new F-350 that did not have a bed liner. It swaged the bed down where the front wheel was sitting. If your pick up is a compact and you are hauling a big bike, you need to put something down to keep the rear tire from riding on the tailgate or it will get bent up also. I have a piece of diamond plate aluminum that I use there when hauling my Road King in my Toyota.