After stepping down to the smaller 250cc bike for the 2012 Monster Energy MX Nationals series, DPH Motorsports’ Cheyne Boyd has made the decision to jump back up to the premier class for the upcoming Australian Supercross Championships.

Boyd had some great rides on the smaller bike during the outdoor season, but as a seasoned veteran of the Pro Open class, the Victorian’s move back up to the 450 came as no suprise.

MotoOnline.com.au caught up with Boyd today to talk about his new plans to race the 450, and how his preparations have been going to date.

Cheyne Boyd laid down solid rides on the 250, but says it was tough taking on the younger, lighter contenders. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

You decided to make the switch to the 450 for supercross, what are the reasons behind that decision?

It wasn’t planned, that’s for sure. We came into this year doing the whole DPH Motorsport team, it was going to be a 250 year just for something different and I’ve sort of said my reasons for that.

Sort of getting towards the end of the motocross season I got a 450 to practice on, and I just felt really good on it. Obviously I’ve been riding a 450 for the last however many years we’ve been racing them, so I felt fairly comfortable on it.

But it just felt like going back to a 450 would be good for supercross. The plan was never to stay in the 250 class forever, or for the rest of my career. It was just at the moment I felt that I wanted to do that and I did it.

I don’t regret the motocross season, but it turned out to be fairly tough. Only because the guys that I’m racing against like [Josh] Cachia and all that, are riding really good and they’re a lot lighter and on a little bit faster bikes. I just feel that it’s the right choice, and already practicing I feel extremely comfortable and back at home on the 450.

As you said, it was a bit tough on the 250. Do you think you under estimated how tough it would really be in that class?

No, well I knew I was never going into the Lites class thinking that it was going to be a whole lot easier, because it’s still racing a dirt bike and I knew those kids were going to be fast. Guys like Cachia, [Luke] Styke and [Kirk] Gibbs, all those sorts of guys.

I never under estimated because I knew it was going to be tough. I’m not sure, it was just a lot harder than I thought, only because I felt like I was riding really good and my speed was really good.

The results were there and they were getting better and better, and I was getting stronger and stronger throughout the season. But for some reason I went through that crashing stage when I was in good positions to do well, and just would end up having a fairly large crash out of the blue.

So my confidence sort of took a beating there and I really sort of found myself thinking and wondering, what the hell do I have to do and what the hell is going on, why am I crashing so much? So yeah that’s sort of it.

Boyd is feeling comfortable on the 450 and looks to see himself running at the pointy end of the field in the ASX series. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

You’re back on the 450 now, how are the preparations going and how was the transition back to the bigger bike?

Yeah, everything has gone really well. As I said before, I started practicing on a 450 towards the end of the motocross season, so I sort of got used to it then. It really felt like I hadn’t been off it for too long.

I think I’m riding it a little better at the moment, not only do we have it setup really well, Brad [McAlpine] and Dale [Hocking] have done an awesome job getting up to speed and to handle really good.

I feel probably the best I’ve felt on a 450 in a long time and I’ve got a really good practice track now. So I get to practice on decent tracks before the season starts and it’s all going really well.

Where do you expect to see yourself, results wise, in this upcoming Australian Supercross Championships?

Last year before I broke my leg, I felt like I had speed to win it. Win races and that would just snowball into a championship sort of contender. I feel that I’m riding as good, if not better now.

I definitely see myself top three, I’m not going to say I’ll go out there and kick everyone’s arses, because again it’s racing a dirtbike and anything can happen. I’m sure guys like Jay Marmont and Ben Townley are going to be fast.

Hopefully everything goes my way, and the one thing I’ll concentrate on is getting a good start and riding my own race. If I can ride the way I’ve been practicing,I’m comfortable on the track and I can’t see why I can’t win races and get podiums.

The aim is to get podiums and be consistent, to be there after round three, be right there in the championship hunt.

Finally, with riders such as Marmont, Townley and the addition of Matt Moss. Do you think in such a short series there will be one or two riders that will be able to make a charge and dominate the series?

Yeah, I think so. With Moss back and even guys like Lawson Bopping and Todd Waters will be fast. I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be a fairly aggressive and competitive field and season.

Being such a short season there is no room for error, so it will be interesting to see what goes on and who steps up.

I feel with the 20 lap main events aswell that it is going to suit me a little more. I think I race in those conditions a little better and my fitness, I’ve done the hard work on the bike and off the bike. So my fitness for the 20 laps will be good.

Just with the way everything is going now, I wouldn’t really change anything at the moment. The way practicing and everything is going, I do plenty of laps and plenty of motos where I think I put myself under a lot of pressure and intensity, and I feel like I’m doing it fairly easy.

In saying that, race conditions are a lot different and hopefully everything I’ve done is right and we do good.