After a solid junior career and MXD campaign, Dylan Long made his long-awaited move into the Monster Energy MX Nationals MX2 class for 2013 with high expectations from himself and the Choice Motorsports KTM team.

Unfortunately for Long, his entry into the class has not been as smooth as he had hoped with lack of preparation, bad luck and mechanical issues all playing a role.

Following last week’s announcement that Long and Choice Motorsports KTM had indeed parted ways, MotoOnline.com.au caught up with the Victorian to hear what he had to say about his season, the split and his plans for the future.

Dylan Long’s season-best finish to date was a sixth overall at Murray Bridge’s round two. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

You made the move into the MX2 class this season and have experienced mixed results to date. How do you feel the transition has been for you so far?

The transition wasn’t too bad, it was just not knowing where you are at coming into the season and stuff like that. I didn’t really have the best training coming into the season, I crashed at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) doing some training and cracked my wrist.

So that put me out for a bit and it was not the best way to start my year I guess. But it’s good racing against the faster riders and seeing where they’re at and their speed.

You currently sit 12th overall in theMX2 standings after four rounds with a season-best sixth overall at Murray Bridge. Are you happy with where you stand right now?

I want to be a lot higher up in the standings, I personally think I should be up in the top five. I’ve had a lot of bad luck this year having a DNF from bike failure at the first round and I’ve been taken out two or three times in the first corner.

I’m not making excuses or anything, but it doesn’t really help with my overall results. I’ve been coming from the back in most races and getting close to the top 10. But that’s not where I want to be, I want to be up the front from the start and trying to battle it with the top guys.

It was recently announced that you and Choice Motorsports KTM had parted ways, would you like to clear the air on what happened there?

I think my results just were not what they really wanted and things just weren’t really working out. I think it’s for the better that I’m sort of riding for myself now – it will teach me how I really need to do things and how easy I had it.

It’s a bit less pressure now and I guess I sort of wasn’t that ready for this year. My fitness isn’t really at an elite level, but it’s not as bad as I have been going results wise.

Long has put together his own deal with backing from KTM Australia along with various personal sponsors. Image: Brett Trigg Visual.

You mentioned you will be riding for yourself now, so what kind of deal have you put together for the remainder of the season, word is you will remain KTM mounted?

I’m still getting support from KTM, nearly the same sort of thing but I’m just not on the Choice Motorsports KTM team. I’m back to what I had around a year ago, just getting bikes and things like that.

I had to get my motor and all of that done myself and it’s a bit hard in the two weeks we had. So I’m coming into this round a bit under-prepared with testing and stuff like that on the new bike, but it should be a good weekend.

I’ve got Bret Trigg Visual and FIST Handwear backing me heaps, they’re actually paying for a bit and my Mum and Dad are paying for heaps – so it’s pretty much just back to the old days I guess.

Do you think this mid-season switch will hinder your performances for the upcoming rounds or will it be business as usual for you?

It’s only going to get better from here I think. This round might be a bit slower I think, but my positions that I was getting in my races, I seriously think I could do on a stock bike.

I was crashing in the second corner with people and just doing silly stuff. I’m just even more determined now, so it should be good.

Heading into this weekend’s Conondale round, what are your thoughts on the track and expectations for the event. You’ve also got former MXD competitor Jay Wilson stepping into the MX2 class this weekend so that should be interesting?

It’s a pretty cool track, we raced it last year for the opening round of the season and I didn’t mind it too much, it was pretty good. I don’t mind the hills and stuff, it was a bit technical and it suits my kind of riding I guess.

It’s pretty cool to see Jay come up and race us, I was actually teammates with Jay a couple of years ago so it’ll be good to see how he goes.