Just past halfway through Pro Motocross 2026, and double 250MX champion Haiden Deegan is beginning to show what he’s capable of in the premier class. With multiple podiums to his credit and sitting third in the standings, Deegan has proven competitive in 450MX, while continuing to make adjustments as part of his ongoing transition.

Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Deegan’s transfer to the YZ450F was how his ultra-aggressive, high-revving riding style would translate to the bigger bike, particularly when compared with the almost silent, smooth approach of the Lawrences, who favour precision and finesse.

Now having seen Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing hope Deegan on track – and to his credit, oftentimes in the same frame as the brothers – we can see the differences, with both Hunter and Jett appearing able to sustain their pace throughout the entire duration, while Deegan’s intensity is highest in the opening segment.

That can also be attributed to the 20-year-old’s relative lack of experience in the 450 division, which shouldn’t be overlooked. Deegan himself has acknowledged the need to refine his approach, fully aware that his main rivals have spent more time developing at the highest levels of the sport in recent years.

“The big thing, I mean, I feel good,” Deegan explained after Southwick. “I just need to keep getting my bike dialed in. I feel like this 450 is taking a little time to get the suspension right. Even the engine, it’s a whole different engine package that I’m on.

“Figuring that all out – my starts are a whole lot better this week. It’s just going to take time, and you have to accept that. I’m not going out there and doing 1-1s, so that just means you have to go to work and keep on figuring out what the cause is.

Image: Octopi Media.

“You’re [also] going against a lot of veterans. I mean, to say Jett, Hunter, that’s their third [or] fourth season on a 450. They just had a lot of time to build their bikes out, and they’re matured as well in this class. It’ll take me a little bit of time.

“The difference is these guys just got a little more time on me, I’d say – a little more prep on the 450. It’ll just take a little bit of time to get there, and I don’t think it’ll be a problem, eventually… as long as I keep working.”

With a 250, his style makes sense. The smaller-displacement engine rewards aggressive riding and high revs, allowing riders such as Deegan to make it work in their young careers. Replicating that approach on a 450, however, is a very different challenge.

Four-time 450MX champion Eli Tomac has shown that it can be done successfully, although it generally requires significantly more physical effort than adopting a smoother style that allows the bike to do more of the work over a 30-minute moto.

It’s a topic that has attracted plenty of attention this season, with Deegan admitting that he and the team are working to adapt his riding style to better suit the added horsepower of the 450. It’s improving one weekend at a time, but it won’t happen overnight.

“I feel like the big thing for me is just trying to get that bike a gear higher and let that thing flow,” he continued. “250s kind of can wind it out a little more, but the 450 doesn’t work all the time. So no matter what track I’m on right now, it’s just the big thing is trying to shift that thing, not getting stuck in trying to get a certain position. I just try and get myself better each week, and I feel like the positions will come, like today, a 3-2, and I’m right there.”

Image: Octopi Media.

Both Deegan and his crew have most recently leaned on three-time Monster Energy Supercross 450SX champion and teammate Cooper Webb during weekly testing, working through a range of settings in search of a package that consistently translates to race day.

While the early-season goal appeared to be taking the fight directly to Jett from the outset at Fox Raceway, that mindset has subtly shifted after six rounds. Instead, Deegan has since acknowledged that his rookie 450MX campaign is ultimately about testing, learning and development.

“It’s not going to happen overnight, but really just running through set-up, after set-up, after set-up, and trying to find that comfort zone. Whether it works on the weekend or doesn’t, it’s the risk I have to take right now. The time is now to do that, in your rookie season.

“You kind of have a little buffer to try things, and that’s what’s nice about it, especially now that I’m out of the championship points. Keep trying to build the bike better and better and focus on that a whole lot. That’s been the main thing, and Coop’s been a big help just running through set-ups and going back and forth on bikes.”

It’s unfamiliar territory for Deegan. A riding style that delivered one of the most dominant 250 careers in history now requires refinement, and if he is to avoid the fate of riders such as Barcia – who has been unable to replicate his 250 title success in the premier class – it may ultimately require a rethink.

On the other hand, perhaps this is simply part of the process. Deegan has contested just 12 450MX motos to date, seven of which have resulted in podium finishes, and has him third in the overall standings with five rounds – and the Monster Energy SMX World Championship post-season – remaining in the 2026 season.

Image: Octopi Media.

One final point of interest was his revelation that little testing or bike development actually went into his 250 successes, with that time instead devoted to riding and building outright speed. The shift to the 450 has required a revised strategy, with bike settings and development now playing a far greater role.

“I feel like my 250, I was really able to manhandle that bike,” he added. “It’s a little easier to do that. I wasn’t really big on a set-up – I kind of ran the same thing every season for the whole year, really.

“But now it’s a new step in my career, the 450 class, and you’re going to have to figure out those bike set-ups, whether it’s each week and it’s a different set-up, it’s just how it goes, finding that comfort zone. As I said, it’s going to take time, and I’ll just keep working towards it.”

Either way, the grind behind the scenes will continue for the Deegan camp and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, with a handful of outdoors remaining to keep on building. One thing is certain – there will be no shortage of effort, as he is determined to return to the top step sooner rather than later.