Victorian teenager Kale Makeham stunned the Australian motorcycling world with a last-gasp MXD championship win in the Terex Australian Supercross Championship.

Now, as he prepares to step up to MX2, he’s confirmed he’ll ride a KTM 250 SX two-stroke backed by KTM Australia. When was the last time a manufacturer backed a two-stroke racer in the senior class?!

MotoOnline.com.au caught up with the 19-year-old as he packed his bags and prepared to move from the back-blocks in Koondrook to Newcastle to step up his moto career and got his thoughts on a range of topics.

Kale Makeham will step up to MX2 on a KTM 250 SX in 2013. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Come-from-behind supercross championship win…
I was stoked to win the MXD supercross championship. It was really rewarding to see the hard work pay off and the opportunities that have come my way now as a result are awesome. At the beginning of the four-round series I qualified first at Dubbo and I knew then that I had the speed and just had to put it all together. My first win at Toowoomba set me up well, but I had a lot of pressure heading into Newcastle. Even though there was a fairly big points gap to make up on Hayden Melross, I just went and put myself in the best position and put the ball back in his court, which worked perfectly.

New deals for 2013…
Straight after winning the supercross, as in the next working day, I got a call from KTM offering me a deal for 2013. I was definitely surprised, especially as it happened so quickly. They put together an amazing deal for me and if it wasn’t for them I probably wouldn’t be going racing this year. The best thing is I get to keep all my other sponsors the same for 2013, build consistency and stay loyal to everyone who’s got behind me.

Riding a KTM Australia-backed two-stroke for 2013…
When I first started talking to KTM I didn’t think I’d be offered a two-stroke deal, but I’m stoked it came about. I definitely enjoy riding the 250SX and wouldn’t be able to get to the point I am now without them, mainly because the lower maintenance costs have meant I can get to the races. I think people hype up the advantage of two-strokes too much. Yeah, they’ve got more power, but they’re harder to ride and the handling isn’t as good as the more stable four-strokes.

We’ve done a bit of suspension testing with Tune-Tech Suspension, and my mechanic/manager Steve Jones has been working with the 250SXs for a long time and has a lot of experience. As far as parts supply goes from KTM, I get a parts budget and can access genuine KTM Hard Parts, but at this stage there won’t be any “factory” hardware on the bike.

Makeham celebrates his Australian MXD Supercross Championship. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Pre-season training program…
I took a few weeks off after supercross and then got into an intense strength training program with weights. I’ve started to work hard on my cardio now and am back on the bike. This year I want to improve the quality of my training rather than quantity. In the past I’ve tended to over-train, but now I’m working on making my training count. I’m using a heart-rate monitor and keep a diary of my performance that I can then look back on and learn from.

Moving to Newcastle…
I’m moving to Newcastle with my girlfriend to be closer to the action. I can train with my mates Dylan Wills and Matt Moss and do more quality training than I can here in Koondrook. The tracks here can’t be watered or prepped, and Newcastle has a better lifestyle for motocross racing. It also means I get some testing and laps in at Raymond Terrace before the first round of the 2013 MX Nationals there in April.

My goals for 2013…
This year is going to be a learning year for me. I’d like to show my potential, get some podiums and fight for some race wins, but I think everyone takes a while to settle into the MX2 class when they jump up from MXD. Once supercross comes around I’d like to be competing for the title, but I think 2014 will be the year I can put it all together.