ratchet tie downs-NO! Buy a set of premium, Ancra brand tie downs, and thank us later. The cam mechanisim is about 1000% easier to work than any ratchet tie down, it won't come loose, what more could you ask for. I have left a set in the back of a truck, exposed to the elements for literally years straight and they still worked fine.
knowiam...what you said is a good example of why trailers bum me out. Obviously a trailer is the best option for some folks, particularly if owning a truck isn't practical...and that's great.
I used to have trailers, had a bike come loose twice, both times was from a combination of bike not being tied down tight enough, nothing between tire and fender, and hitting a big pothole or bump. One of the times, I earned a severely bent rotor...which was fixed "almost new" with two Craftsman phillips screwdrivers, a strip of masking tape and a Sharpie marker.
Doug...as far as riding or pushing the bike up into the truck, since trucks are getting taller all the time I see your point. Getting older doesn't help either. I remember watching my pissed off friend ride his CR up into the back of a 1/2 ton ford truck, not using a ramp...trials style. The suspension linkage scraped a bit, but not as bad as you would think. I was amazed.