Image: MXN.

South Australia’s Luke Arbon will return with the now factory-backed SD3 Husqvarna squad for 2017 in the Motul MX Nationals MX2 category.

Initially set to make the move to the premier MX1 class for the new year, Arbon and team owner, Steve McKinnon, made a last-minute decision to remain in the quarter-litre category for multiple reasons according to the 24-year-old.

“The 450 class would have been a massive step up after a season of pretty much no racing,” said Arbon. “Even though I was looking forward to that challenge, when Steve said to me that it would be a help to him and to Husky for me to fly the flag in MX2, I was happy to do that.”

Content with his choice to remain in the category where he is considered a strong title threat, Arbon believes he will be in peak condition come round one thanks in part to his MX1 pre-season preparations to date accelerating the process.

“I’m a big believer that things happen for a reason, and at the moment I’m training pretty hard and riding a fair bit, and training on the 450 has probably brought me on a fair bit quicker,” he explained. “I’ve got three or four months to go still, and I’m sure that when the time comes I’ll definitely be ready to go.”

On return from a serious spinal injury, the former MX2 winner looks forward to challenge ahead of him and he looks to return to winning form in 2017.

“Stepping back into the 250s and trying to get back to where I was is also going to be an exciting challenge, but I will be going back into a class where I have won races and overalls before, so my goal is to be doing that again this year,” he added. “I have no doubt that as long as I keep putting in the work, that I can be up the front again soon.”

Arbon will again be joined by MXD contender Kaleb Barham and an announcement from the team regarding their MX1 rider is expected shortly.