44 minutes in the past | Phrases: Matt Bernard | Photographs: GASGAS
Korey McMahon, a rising star from NSW, is presently main the Australian Off-Highway Championship within the E1 class. In the course of the break within the AORC season, he shifts his focus to the demanding Finke and Hattah Desert Races, following his profitable efficiency within the A4DE. Enterprise this endeavour is an immense problem, each by way of logistics, funds, and bodily and psychological endurance. After a whirlwind few months, we had the chance to meet up with Korey as he lastly returned dwelling.
You’re coming in scorching off a podium on the Hattah desert race, previous to that, you took an equal profession finest fourth at Finke. You’ve been a busy boy mate, hitting these occasions off the again of the A4DE. Take us by way of a number of the logistics that you just work by way of presently of yr.
Yeah, clearly, it is a very busy time of yr for me as I juggle two completely different disciplines of bike racing: the off-road aspect of issues and the desert races. The break within the AORC championship throughout this era works out ideally for me to proceed racing. It began in WA for this yr’s Australian 4 Day Enduro (A4DE), the place we secured third place total and first within the E1 class. That was a good way to kick off my non-AORC championship races this yr! From there, I flew on to Alice Springs to arrange for certainly one of my favorite races, whereas Mum and Dad drove again to Sydney to drop off my A4DE tools and choose up my race bike and every thing crucial for Finke.
After wrapping up Finke for 2023, we completed fourth total and first within the 450cc class. I felt fairly annoyed with fourth place as I knew I left lots on the market resulting from a crash on the primary day of the race. Subsequent up was Hattah, which was solely three weeks away. So, I drove straight to Mildura to proceed coaching and reacquaint myself with turning, as Finke is an extremely high-speed race.
Hattah got here up extraordinarily shortly, and I achieved an superior consequence there. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t be attainable to realize these outcomes all throughout the nation inside such a brief interval with out the devoted individuals behind the scenes and in my nook. They preserve every thing rolling again dwelling and deal with all of the organisation whereas I prepare away from dwelling for 2 and a half months.
That’s all very hectic, so take us by way of a number of the preparation you do within the lead-up to Finke. I perceive your loved ones spend plenty of time up there serving to with the pre-running course of.
Finke is without doubt one of the largest sacrifices I make all year long. I’m going up there for over a month earlier than the race to pre-run with my Pop. Actually, I owe a lot of my success thus far at Finke, to the period of time my pop is keen to spend on the market chasing me up and down the monitor. This yr alone, we’ve lined round 5000 kilometres on the monitor. It has been tremendous difficult on me and my physique over time as you’re doing plenty of driving most days. Typically, pre-running Finke I spend as much as 5 hours on the bike in a day, simply making an attempt to study as a lot as you may, about that 220kms of monitor.
I want to say the assist the Bray household give me for these desert races. They organise and put together my program for Finke and Hattah and assist give me what I must chase outcomes.
What about Hattah, with the fast turnaround between occasions that you just talked about earlier.
With simply three weeks flip round between Hattah and Finke it turns into a rush to get the race bike dwelling pulled aside and checked over by Apro Motorsports and Gary Bray in time for the race. Whereas that occurs, I head straight to Mildura to proceed coaching on my apply bike and testing at Alternative Suspension’s farm. It’s fairly hectic, nevertheless it seems like there’s nonetheless sufficient time to have the ability to put together and be prepared for Hattah.
I’ve referred to you because the busiest man in moto on a number of events, this yr, you’re racing Finke, Hattah, AORC, Transmoto occasions, the ISDE, A4DE and the odd native occasion – how do you switch your abilities and focus throughout so many disciplines?
It’s by no means simple to swap and alter between bikes and occasions as all of them contain completely different types of driving. For me, I actually benefit from the problem of driving completely different bikes and adapting to many various terrains. I discover it helpful in the long run to have the ability to do that and be such a multiskilled rider.
For me, the mantra that has guided me since a younger age is “apply makes good.” I imagine that if you’re keen to place within the work and adapt to the racing type earlier than these races, the outcomes will observe in the long run.
Your assist from GASGAS has stepped up considerably in the previous few years, nevertheless it’s apparent you’re nonetheless a good nit household crew.
The assist from GASGAS has been unreal for the final three years and I’m actually grateful to be part of such a fantastic organisation. However, with working our personal off-road program with a number of private sponsors isn’t simple for me to do alone. I’ve the assistance of Mum, Dad and Michael Carusi (Carusi Motorsports) on race weekends with cooking, packing, establishing and every thing in between. It makes it lots simpler for me. I can concentrate on racing and doing my job on the monitor. It’s a very family-oriented crew that we run. I even have my brother filming with me. It’s been actually cool to have my complete household there to assist me chase my goals.
You’ve been swinging off the massive bikes at excessive speeds, now it’s time to shift your focus again to the AORC the place you presently lead the E1 class on a 250. How do you alter your mind-set and abilities to make such a drastic change?
The AORC is all the time the main focus, and these different races are a bonus that I get to do with assist from nice private sponsors. The change is clearly difficult, nevertheless it’s all about time on the bike and driving the same tracks to what we might be racing within the AORC to be prepared for what’s to return for the remainder of the yr and hopefully proceed to battle for outright podiums.
Take us by way of your AORC machine. What are a number of the neat set-up and merchandise you employ on the beast?
My bike is pretty inventory, with a couple of minor modifications and private touches we develop when testing.
- Apro race engine assembled by Carusi motorsport.
- Renthal Fatbars
- WP Trax shock and Cone Valve forks tuned by Alternative suspension.
- Kenda tyres
- Acerbis plastics and handguards
- Motorex oils
- GASGAS powerparts rear disc protector
- Kite wheels
- Full Akrapovic exhaust system
