Following a fill-in ride at selected rounds of Penrite ProMX in Australia last year, Kiwi import Brodie Connolly caught the eye of Australian teams and will make the move across the Tasman full-time for 2023. Ultimately, representing New Zealand at the Motocross of Nations would be the deciding factor for his future, where a great show of speed in the early stages of the event caught the attention of Honda Racing team owner Yarrive Konsky and Connolly’s now set to race the full season outdoors and Australian Supercross Championship onboard the title-winning CRF250R this year. MotoOnline caught up with the capable 19-year-old to ask Five Questions.

How did the opportunity to ride for Honda Racing come about?

Racing at MXoN for New Zealand, I guess Yarrive was there as well. He noticed my riding, he messaged me not long after I’d gotten home. I think he’d already been talking to Ben Townley about me, so that’s how that came up. Then, it all happened pretty quickly from there, he sent me a contract and I signed it… Now, I’m in Australia.

What are your first impressions on being a part of a factory team?

It’s awesome, I’ve only been on the bike for a couple of weeks. It’s wicked, everyone is super helpful, it has been really awesome.

How does this year look for you? Being from New Zealand, are you living in Australia full time or going back and forth?

Yeah, fulltime in Australia for the year. I’m living in Wonthaggi with Kayden Minear and training with the Beaton crew. I’ll be here for the full year doing motocross and supercross.

First race of the year and with the new team at the AMX MX Open, where you finished third overall, how was that?

It was good. Like I said, I have only been on the Honda for a couple of weeks, so I’m still learning the bike. My starts were a bit average, but I managed one holeshot and was able to win that moto, so I know I can definitely run with the boys. I still have a bit of work to do with my fitness and the intensity is way higher here than back home – there’s only three or four fast guys at home that can win, whereas in Australia, there’s probably around 10 guys that can win.

Tell us more about representing New Zealand at RedBud for MXoN… That must have been a really good experience for you.

It was unbelievable, the coolest race I’ve done in my life, just to line up with some of those names. I got a little unlucky in the qualifying race, my bike blew up about halfway through the race when I was running about eighth I think, but even just to be there was unreal, pretty bloody cool.