Edgar Torronteras lays down the home truths about riding Freestyle Motocross.

You risk your life every day.

If you are injured, you are forgotten.
And if you die…. well…. it’s all over for you. And the pain lives on with family and friends.

So the question can be asked, what is a life ‘worth’ for a brand to take benefits of an athlete’s popularity, or pressure them to continue unlimited progression?

It’s not a question that can not be answered. There is no single answer.

But, something for anyone involved in action sports should at least be aware of. And know, these are the things the top athletes contemplate.

Risk versus Reward

The post And if you die, nobody is going to think about you. first appeared on Riders Lounge Podcast.

My attention span has become increasingly small over the years. Just like everyone else.

When I saw a new Monster Energy video on Taka Higashino, I noticed it was 13 minutes 31 seconds and started to think about skipping past.

I figure I know enough about Taka that it wasn’t going to give me any extra info than a 5 second Insta clip from X Games last month.

Man, was I wrong.

I actually had goosebumps!

And it has been a while since I’ve had goosebumps watching moto vids. Except watching Carey Hart’s first backflip every time I see it…

Listening to Taka talk about what it took for him to get to America to become a Pro FMX rider is so cool, and it’s honestly something that a lot of people will never sacrifice to do. But Taka made it happen.

And from each decision and sacrifice he took, the more opportunities would present themselves later.

The best part for me personally, was when Taka said he jumped on Google Maps and found Metzger’s house on Satellite view. He drove there, knocked on the door and asked if he could go for a ride.

I remember vividly when I had almost the same experience from another Japanese rider, Yoshi San, who arrived at Queensland Moto Park. He sent his bike from Japan to Australia. He bought a shitbox Toyota Hiace and was sleeping in it.

He had been in Australia for a few months before he found our Moto Park. He wanted to ride FMX, so the guys in the office told him to go see Schuie. In the end, he was living at Schuie’s house for almost a year and was building jumps with us every day. Yoshi was just part of the furniture from then on and just one of the boys.

To hear that Taka Higashino did the exact same thing, and became one of the world’s best riders along the way, it was cool to hear the dedication and belief in himself and the rewards that came.

The post What it takes to become a champion. Taka’s new Mini-Doco is an awesome insight! first appeared on Riders Lounge Podcast.