Cheyne Boyd entered the 2012 Monster Energy MX Nationals series as a question mark for many in the industry. After years in the premier MX1 class on factory equipment, Boyd made the unusual move back down to the MX2 class after a couple of tough years.

With no decent offers on the table for 2012, Boyd received the call from DPH Motorsport’s Dale Hocking with an offer to go racing in the MX2 class and the rest is history.

After a slow start to the series, Boyd has seemingly acclimated well to the new privateer Honda team and scored a moto win and two podiums leading up to the mid-season break.

MotoOnline.com.au caught up with the 29-year-old to talk about his new team, thoughts on racing the MX2 class and what he has been up to over the break heading into round six at Hervey Bay this weekend.

Cheyne Boyd is currently third in the MX2 ranks for DPH Motorsport Honda. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

You currently sit third overall in the MX2 class standings, tied on points with Josh Cachia. Are you happy with where you sit as we head into the second half of the outdoor series?

Yeah I’m fairly happy, obviously a few more points closer to the front would be good. It just seems that that being such a new team and having not done a season on the 250, I guess it took those first few rounds to develop the bike and get used to racing those guys and that style of racing again.

I’ve been really happy with the last few rounds and where I’m sitting at in the points is good, but I definitely know we can do better and climb up the ladder a little.

You recently scored podiums at both the Wanneroo and Murray Bridge rounds, along with earning your first moto win at Murray Bridge. How did it feel to take it to the young guys and show you can win on the MX2 bike?

Yeah it feels good, the last time I had won a moto was late in 2009 on a 450 and I actually thought that the MX2 win would have come a little sooner.

We’ve developed our bike to the point where I think it can win now and I think I’ve got my stuff together as far as the way I ride a 250 and the way I race, with starts being very important and things like that.

It feels like everything was just falling into place in those last two rounds, and it definitely felt great to win a moto. Although it was disappointing to have such a good day but that second moto just cost me for the overall, but that’s racing and I’ll try to not let that happen again.

Being your first year back in the MX2 class for a long time and first time racing the 250 four-stroke, what were the biggest adjustments you had to make in your program?

Last time I raced in the smaller class it was on a Yamaha YZ125 in 2001, so I’ve been on a big bike for many years now. The main change I’ve done is in the off-bike stuff, I’ve upped the cardio and my body is in the best condition it’s been in the last few years.

I’ve had to downsize as far as weight goes and I didn’t really have much weight to lose, I just had to downsize muscle, but in that I’m not saying a was a real muscly guy or anything [laughs].

When you’re racing guys like Josh Cachia and Kade Mosig who are in that mid to high 60kg range, where I’m normally sitting around the 80kg mark.

I’m now down to 75kg, which I think is a good weight, and a weight that I can’t really get much lighter than, so that’s sort of been the main change for me.

Racing those young guys, they’re so aggressive and the intensity is not a lot higher than the 450s, but it’s definitely a little different in the MX2 class.

Boyd broke through for his first moto win of 2012 at Murray Bridge. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

The DPH Motorsport Honda team looks to have put in a lot of effort this year showing up with such a professional outfit, what is it like to be working with that team?

It’s been good and it’s been refreshing, the main thing when I did the deal with DPH was that I wanted an experienced mechanic. Brad McAlpine was the number one pick and I pretty much just went after him.

Having Dale and the team being there has been great, everyone gets along really well and it just makes my job a lot easier.

It’s really relaxed on race day and pretty much I run my own program, and Dale straight away knew that and so did Brad.

I’ve never worked with Brad but I’ve known him for a lot of years and he sort of knows how I operate, it’s no bullshit and no messing around with me. I’m there to do a job, do work and that’s it.

Everyone’s the same, Brad works harder than I’ve ever known a mechanic to work and the same with Dale, he puts in so much effort. So it’s just great to be working with guys like that and go away racing.

Finally, what have you been up to over the mid-season break and what are you aiming for in the series’ second half?

Pretty much I just want to pick up where I left off. I won the last moto and I got second on the day, I could have won the day quite easily if I didn’t make that one mistake. If I can just continue where I left off that will be the aim for me.

At the start of the break, straight after Murray Bridge, I didn’t ride the dirt bike as much, but I got on the cycle and did a lot of off the bike training. I sort of over did it in those first few weeks just to get in the best condition so I can be stronger for one, and hopefully get faster.

The last few weeks I’ve started riding again, the weather has been fairly average in Melbourne but I’ve been getting back into it again and cutting a lot of laps. I was lucky enough to get a 450 from Honda as well, so I’ve been riding that a little bit. It’s all been going really well.