Defying death on two wheels

Tours – “It’s crazy what we do, there’s no limit. If you make a mistake, you can die.”

They are the chilling words of Japan’s Taka Higashino, one of the stars of freestyle motocross, the daring but not always death-defying sport which is gripping a worldwide audience.

After performing a series of high-risk jumps off ramps set up inside an arena in the French city of Tours, the 33-year-old Higashino, a veteran of the X Games culture, warned the sport is not for the faint-hearted.

In 2009, Jeremy Lutz, a 24-year-old Californian and an X Games gold medallist the previous year, was killed after a fall in competition.

Five years ago, Eigo Sato of Japan died after a training accident.

Sato’s death almost pushed Higashino to the brink of quitting.

“But as soon as I got back on the bike, I felt great. I know only that this sport makes me smile,” he said.

The more dazzling the tricks on their bikes, the better.

Once airborne, they take their hands and feet off their machines while allowing their bikes to somersault around them, twisting and turning at 180°.

The dramatic shapes they make are reflected by their names – “Tsunami”, “Kiss of Death”, “Cliffhanger”, “Shaolin”, “Superman”.

French star Tom Pages, one of the leading exponents of the sport, admits it’s a tough addiction to shake.

“It’s too hard a life, the knot in your stomach, the urge to vomit,” said Pages

The sport of freestyle motocross – or FMX – enjoys a global circuit, boasting bright lights and dancing girls, and is run under the supervision of the international motorcycling federation.

There are two major centrepieces – the RedBull X Fighters in Madrid in front of 25 000 fans and the long-established X Games.

Other events run in parallel – in Mexico, the freestyle stars pull in crowds of 45 000.

Not bad for a discipline which has only been in existence for two decades. –