VOLUME 56 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 P107
about things like high-speed damping, clickers,
spring rates, ergos, front-end push, power, throttle
response and anything else he could pick apart.
I (Kit Palmer) was not surprised; after all, it's his
job to do that. In fact, I was expecting it because
Rennie is a fantastic test rider. That's why we hired
him as our Road Test Editor—he knows a thing or
two about motorcycles and the way they should
work. We reminded him to forget about all that
stuff this time and just ride. This "test" wasn't so
much about fork-oil level, seat-foam density, or tire
pressure, as it was about trying to enjoy the ride.
Rennie had calmed down by the next quick stop,
and I actually thought I heard him utter the words
"pretty fun" before we were on the move again.
We came across our first challenging section—
a relatively long rocky climb that would put the
DR-Z to the test and even the KTM, as well as our
own riding skills. We offered Rennie, our resident
"street guy," the KTM, but he was up for the chal-
lenge on the DR-Z. Next thing you know, Rennie
was gone. We finally caught up to him at the top
of the hill. He and the DR-Z did just fine, and they
were waiting for us while enjoying the scenery.
