KTM Off-Road Racing Team’s defending Australian Off-Road Champion (AORC) Toby Price will return to the E3 ranks aboard a 500 EXC in 2015.

With the season opening this weekend at Kilkivan in Queensland, the Dakar Rally podium finisher will set out to defend his Outright title while also targeting Glenn Kearney’s big-bore crown.

Price, 26, won last year’s Outright and E2 titles riding a 450 EXC, but will revert to his favoured 500 EXC that he dominated the championships on in 2012.

“I’m looking forward to coming back in on the 500 EXC and hopefully we can make a good start to the season,” Price said. “There’s a long way to go and you don’t win it at the first round, but it’s also nice to kick off the season with a win, so we’ll see what the weekend brings.

“I love the 500 EXC, it’s definitely a lot of bike, but it’s cut down a lot in weight and KTM is definitely making a good motorcycle. To me, I like a bit of power, and I’m a bit of a bigger guy so it seems to suit me well. Like any bike it has its advantages and disadvantages at certain tracks.

“The best part is there’s just plenty of power there, and as long as you keep clicking gears, it just wants to go faster and faster so it’s a thrill to ride. We have mellowed mine out a little bit for bush racing, but it’s still got really good top-end there.”

Taking Price’s place in the premier E2 ranks this season will be motocross-convert Tye Simmonds entering a 450 EXC, while Daniel Sanders will join Price in E3 on a 300 EXC.