KTM DM31 Racing Team’s Korey McMahon broke out for a career-first Pro Enduro outright victory during Sunday’s eighth Australian Enduro Championship round in Casterton, Victoria. With a sizeable program shift in 2025, which included both a class switch and joining forces with the Daniel Milner-led program, hear McMahon’s Fast Thoughts as he details the year so far.

Image: Foremost Media.

Your weekend at Casterton…

We had rounds seven and eight at Casterton on the weekend, and we turned up pretty well prepared. We did a fair bit of testing in between rounds, as we had a lot to work on, considering Jye [Dickson] was so fast in the sand, and we knew that this round was going to be a bit like that as well. So plenty of testing [went on] in the break. Plenty of work put in with me, [Daniel] Milner, and the team, and we got our bikes where we needed them to be. I got off to a good start in the cross country and got into the lead early in the second lap, but from there on, I just made way too many mistakes and crashed four or five times out of the lead. That was a bit frustrating on my part, but I was riding really well. To run with Milner for a couple of laps and learn a bit more about what to do around that track was helpful. I was super happy with that second place to match my best result outright, and then on Sunday, yeah, it speaks for itself. I just stayed consistent all day. Jye made a couple of mistakes towards the end, which worked in my favour. It normally doesn’t. I’m the one normally doing that. But yeah, just one of those days where everything was going right, the bike was feeling awesome. No crashes, really smooth, and I was super happy with how I rode and the outcome.

Crossing the finish line in first…

I’ve never felt that, and having two world-class riders as well as former champions in the series [behind me] was special. I beat some of the best in the world, which felt cool, and yeah, it was awesome to get that off my back. I feel like it’s been weighing me down a fair bit. It’s been so much pressure to get that win, and to finally get it and realise what it’s all like is unreal. A big help has been Milner and all the work that he’s put in to me this year. I think it’s showing with the progression we’ve made throughout the season, and to be coming off sitting there in February, two weeks before round one, and possibly going in for ACL surgery, and then to get your first career outright win in the same year, it’s pretty crazy. It just shows to never give up.

Image: Foremost Media.

What Daniel Milner has meant to your program…

I’ve never ridden for a team, so I’ve always done everything by myself. He does everything for us riders from testing the bike, to all the mental stuff as well, and mental stuff is a big part of this sport. He’s one of the most headstrong riders I’ve ever met, and to learn from him on how to keep calm under the pressure is huge. He’s been a major part of my progression this year. He has a lot of wisdom when it comes to both racing and setting up a motorcycle as well. He knows what he wants, and that’s the biggest thing I’ve taken out of this year so far, is when you’re comfortable and when the bike is good, you’re mentally stronger on the weekend because you know what you’re on is more than capable of winning. He’s a humble guy, he tells me every day that I’m good enough to win, and that is massive for my self-belief.

Switching to the E3 class this year…

I was on the 250 for a while there and dabbled on the bigger bike at the desert races and all that stuff. I always enjoyed being on the bigger bike, and as soon as I got on the bigger bike, it just felt like I had a lot more room to grow. I felt like I was doing the same thing on the 250, getting stuck in the same rut, but now being on the bigger bike, I feel like I can train something new each time I’m on it. I’d say I’m night and day different from where I was on the 250. There are a lot of people telling me at the races now that I’m starting to look like Milner on the bike, which I feel is pretty cool and a really cool comment because I’ve been putting a lot of work into…what would you call it? Nailing the technique and trying to get to where he is. He’s won so much and knows the right way to go about it, so I’ve been going home and studying it to try to make myself better in that way.

Image: Foremost Media.

Plan moving forward after the win…

This gives me massive confidence. The win, but also my program, and going to the race when you are training with the guy who’s at the top. He still kicks my ass in training, but yeah it all comes together and gives me a lot of confidence. I’ve got a lot of goals that I am yet to tick off this season, still, but the main focus is to win my class and stay on the podium in the Pro Enduro series. That would be the main goal from here on out.