What equipment have members found best for loading ST in truck bed?
Unless you've got a big-a** truck with an 8-foot bed, the tailgate will almost certainly have to remain down. No problem. Should be no need to resituate the bike; I've never done it. Make sure the front wheel is fully inserted into a chock or fully forward touching against the front of the bed. Tie it down securely with ratcheting straps. Secure the ramp with bungee cords, and you're good to go. I've transported several different bikes in various small pickups over the years, tailgate down, sometimes for hundreds of miles, with nary a problem.Not sure it will fit with the tailgate up. May have to resituate the bike once loaded. Any thoughts?
+1, it helps to have a 8' 2x12 or other type of ramp for those ditches that are not quite deep enough, and another set of hands. My ST fits in the bed of my 1998 Dodge Dakota just fine with the tailgate down. Four low, sturdy tie down points too. I suggest a front wheel chock of some sort to avoid lateral movement while underway. I just mounted a cheap HF one to a piece of marine plywood for this purpose.Backing the truck into an appropriate ditch works well. No ramp needed.