Aussie teen sensation Tye Simmonds will be on a KTM 450 SX-F in the premier Pro Open in the Monster Energy Super X, the Australasian Supercross Championship, starting this weekend.

The 17-year-old from Bourke, NSW, will campaign move up from the Pro Lites class  to campaign the bigger bike when the Australasian Supercross Championships kick off at the Aurora Stadium, Launceston, in Tasmania on Saturday night.

The series hits New Zealand shores for the sixth round of seven in the series, in Waikato, on November 21.

Riding for Motorex KTM since his junior years, Simmonds won everything possible on a 65, 85, and 125cc machine, and couldn’t wait to turn senior for some serious competition.

He finished runner-up to American Eli Tomac at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Taupo in August.

In 2008 Simmonds turned 16, putting him a category to race on the KTM 250 SX-F in the Under-19s Australian Motocross Championship, an event he entered and won. In the same year he entered the Pro Lites class of the Super X Championship, also on the KTM 250 SX-F placing second in the Championship.

In early 2009, Simmonds continued to show exceptional speed in Pro Lites racing both in Australia and New Zealand on the 250cc machine, but at 17 years of age, standing over six foot and weighing in over 80 kilos, Simmonds found his body outgrowing the 250cc machine.

Still mentally unsure as to whether he was ready to progress to the Pro Opens, and the 450 machine, Simmonds spent several weeks testing, and has now made the decision this is the bike for him.

“I’m really comfortable with my decision to step up to the Pro Open, and race the KTM 450 SX-F in the Australasian Supercross Championship,” said Simmonds.  “I was really torn mentally if I should do another year in the Lites or step up to the premier class, but now that I have spent time testing the 450 I’m loving it.

“When I was a junior racer I always wanted to ride bigger bikes.  I still remember when I was around ten years old racing an 85cc bike, I’d ask dad if I could get on his bike because I liked the power to clear bigger jumps.

“In my racing style, I ride the front of the bike a lot, and that would weigh me down clearing jumps, so I feel a lot safer on the 450 because it has the power to easily clear jumps which is necessary for supercross racing.

“I know the competition in the Pro Open is going to be on another level, but I’m not afraid to get amongst it all and bang bars.

“It’s going to be a fun ride, and I’m really stoked with all the support Motorex KTM has given me to get to where I am, so lets’ hope I can now bring home a podium.”

Joining Tye on the Motorex KTM team will be Kade Mosig in his first Super X event with the team. Mosig from Pearcedale in Victoria will ride the KTM 250 SX-F in the Pro Lites class.

The 2009 race schedule is as follows:

Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com