A disk drive includes a ramp having a fixed portion that is fixed to the
disk drive base, and a guide portion that is not. The guide portion
includes a guide surface having a parking region that is in contact with
an HGA lift-tab with the disk drive in a non-operational state. The guide
surface also has a load/unload region that extends over a disk outer
periphery. The guide surface defines a guide surface length that is
measured from the parking region to the load/unload region. The ramp also
includes a torsionally-compliant member connecting the fixed portion to
the guide portion. A distance between the torsionally-compliant member
and the parking region, measured approximately parallel to the guide
surface length, is less than half the guide surface length. The guide
portion is not connected to the fixed portion over at least two-thirds of
the guide surface length.