Mark Wilkinson is a name that some of you may have heard of, but definitely one you should be acquainting yourself with. Having had a successful career so far in Australia, he moved over to the UK last year to start competing in the British Superstock series and work his way up through our paddock. After a year with Seton Tuning, the young racer known as ‘Wilko’ signed up for 2013, but has now left the team and transferred to Gearlink Kawasaki. The reasoning behind this hasn’t been officially announced yet, and we grabbed the first interview with him to try and find out the gossip. Here’s what happened...

So you came over last year from Australia, what made you decide that British Superstock might be the way to go?
We looked at our budget to race back home, basically I got third in the Australian Superstock championship in 2011, so we looked at moving to Supersport and weighed up the budget between moving to Supersport back home or coming over here and it worked out that it was better to come over here.

Well last year you were with Seton Tuning, and you started out this year with them, but we’ve now had the surprise change over to Gearlink Kawasaki – what can you tell us about that without getting yourself in trouble?
The Seton Tuning team is really good, the bikes are brilliant and I wish them all the best for the future but I’ve had to step away and go to Gearlink Kawasaki because I think it’s the right move for both me and for the Seton Tuning team. So it’s moving forward for me and I think it’s going to work out really well. Turned the page and started a new chapter of my career in the UK.

OK, but what changed from last year? What made you think that Seton Tuning would be the best choice again this year and what made you change your mind to make the move?
Look, like I said Seton make really good bikes and I’ve always got along really well with the team, it’s just things sometimes don’t work out, do they? Seriously, all the best to them and I hope they have a really successful 2013. The move to Gearlink Kawasaki is what’s best for me both on and off the track and, like I said, the start of a new chapter.

We know already that you used to ride a Kawaski in Australia, now you’ve had experience on a Yamaha what of the two feels more comfortable for you?
So far I’m getting a really good feeling off the Kawasaki, like you said I rode Kawasaki’s back home so it does feel like I’m back on home turf a little bit. But they are completely different, our superstock back home and superstock over here are two completely different animals. Back home superstock is a stock standard bike. So they are completely different, but it does feel like going home.

Do you think you’ll stay here for another season? Give me a prediction of what’s going to happen...
Hopefully this year should see me sitting up inside the top ten, I hope to get on the podium a couple of times at least, that’d be nice, and to start challenging for some wins as well. Ultimately my goal is to win, that’s always the goal at every race meeting. We’ll see what happens next year, I haven’t got any plans yet and I don’t have a big budget or anything like that so I’ve really got to hope I have a good year this year and see where I can take it next year.

What’s your initial thoughts after having your first couple of days on the Kawasaki?
Yeah good, the bike’s very comfortable to ride, the way it handles and the way the engine characteristics are make it a very easy bike to ride. We’ve yet to see whether or not we can make it a race winning bike but at the moment it’s a nice bike to ride. We haven’t had to make any changes, hardly, at all this weekend and we are where we are already.

What would your ideal move be next year?
Ideally if I have a good enough year this year the plan is to look at the supersport cup as a potential route, there’s stock 1000s as well but I’d like to go to supersport and stay on a 600, I think my physical size and all that suits a 600 more than a 1000 so if I can stay on a 600 that’d be ideal.

Would you progress to World Supersport and then Superbike?
Oh, obviously that’s always the goal – you want to achieve the best! I mean my goals as a racer; I’ve always enjoyed endurance racing so if I could get to world endurance superbikes that’d be my ultimate dream and ambition to get a ride in that.

So Moto GP or Superbike?
Superbike, definitely...(so you’d never go to Moto GP?) if I got paid enough, yeah!

Ha, OK, so every time we interview somebody for the first time here at Motorbikes Today we do a few quick fire questions with them – so, what’s your worst ever moment in your career so far?
Breaking my back in 2011.
Ouch, how did that happen?

I crashed a motorbike. (Laughs) No, I got into a corner and got taken out by a backmarker and ended up spending nine to ten days in hospital on a backboard. It was very unpleasant, got out of hospital and six days later went and rode in the last round of the Australian championship.

And where did you finish?
Ended up third in the championship!

Good job! Best part of your racing career so far?
Moving to England, definitely, when you’re in Australia you’re a long way from the rest of the world and you finally get over here and realise how small the world is. So, yeah, coming over here has been a massive change for me and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it so far.

English or Australian girls?
Australian! Ha, they’re so much more chilled over there...

Most embarrassing moment racing?
Oh, there’s not really been one! (Thinks for a minute) doing a nudie run through the World Superbikes paddock last year...

How did we miss that?! How did that happen?
I lost a bet with my team mate Ben Burke! But I was smart enough to carry my clothes with me so that when they locked the truck they didn’t lock my clothes away, so I had something to wear!

What was the bet?
Who won the first race, Ben won that quite easily.

What would you be doing if you weren’t racing motorbikes?
I’d be racing something, cars, horses, dogs...actually I probably wouldn’t race horses, but anything I could race! Anything I could race I’d race, for sure.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Racing motorbikes! Doing well, getting paid to do it and living the dream.

On what bike?
A Kawasaki.

Awesome. What’s your racing advice for somebody who’s looking to ride a motorbike or come into racing? 
Do it. Don’t be scared, have a crack.

Good advice! And what would be some non-racing related advice?
Don’t be afraid to have a go at anything!

We may say this about most of the riders we interview, but Wilkinson is definitely one to watch, and very likeable on top of being talented. We wish him all the best with his move and will be watching eagerly to see if he achieves those podium finishes he’s hoping for.