Image: Supplied.

Victorian Andy Wilksch will lead KTM’s charge in the 2023 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) and Australian Four-Day Enduro (A4DE), making the switch from Simford Racing Husqvarna and entering the E2 category for the season ahead.

Wilksch, 26, rode to the AORC E3 championship last season after being victorious in class on no less than seven occasions, while also claiming the runner-up result in class at the prestigious A4DE event.

In pursuit of the top step, Wilksch will compete onboard the KTM 450 EXC-F for the coming year within the E2 ranks, ‘Ready To Race’ when the 12-round AORC series commences on March 25-26 at Mendooran, New South Wales. The A4DE will take place in Harvey, Western Australia, between May 17-20.

“To sign with KTM this season has been a massive goal for me,” Wilksch said. “It’s the first European brand I ever rode back on a 65cc, which is where it all started, and my first year racing an enduro series was on a KTM, so it is cool to go full-circle and to have the best equipment to go racing here in 2023.

“After winning my class and finishing second outright last year in AORC, the goal is to go for the win and we should be in a great position to achieve that with the 450 EXC-F. There’s a lot of racing ahead of us and a lot to be ready for, but I learned a lot from last year and look forward to building with KTM to chase that goal, while keeping it fun and exciting all year.”

KTM will also continue to support last year’s AORC EJ championship winner Riley McGillivray in both the AORC and A4DE this season. The highly-rated, young Victorian will make an exciting step up to the E3 category for 2023, to be equipped with the KTM 500 EXC-F.