Motorex KTM has confirmed Ford Dale will join Kirk Gibbs in the team for the 2014 Australian motocross and supercross season.

Former MX2 national champion Dale, who sat out much of this year due to a knee injury as part of the Carlton Dry Honda team, will pilot a 450 SX-F as part of the factory operation.

“It’s awesome to do this deal,” 25-year-old Dale commented. “I haven’t ridden KTM since I rode the first ever KTM 60 and I hadn’t ridden one since, so I’m so pumped to be part of the best team on the circuit.

“I know Rob [Twyerould] pretty well and I’m looking forward to working with him. It seems to be the team moving forward and I’m pumped to be a part of it. I’m also pumped to be back in MX1 again and I’m definitely there to win.

“I believe in the program I’m doing and winning is the main goal. I’ll be back with Gibbsy again which is pretty cool. He and I get along fine, we were teammates on the Serco team and we’re a similar speed and always battling.

“I had my first ride on the bike yesterday and I love it, I still haven’t taken the smile off my face since yesterday. It steers really good and I’m looking forward to testing and seeing how good we can get it. I’ll test before Christmas and then a little more before we head to New Zealand so it should be good.

“I’m in probably the best shape I’ve ever been in right now. [Ben Townley] and I sat down after the injury and made a plan from June until January with structured training, and I’ve been working hard with my trainer since June.”

Dale’s first official appearance for the team is scheduled to be on 8 February for the first round of the New Zealand Motocross championships, which he will contest as preparation for the MX Nationals.