He was also named “Breakout FMX Rider of the Year” by TransWorld Motocross magazine. At X Games 2010, he made history as the first Japanese motocross rider to medal at the event: A technical double seat grab back flip Indy air earned him the bronze medal. It didn’t take long for Higashino to claim his place among the FMX elite. “From the get-go I looked at Taka and said, ‘This kid has a lot of potential! If someone helped this dude, he could be one of the best in the world,’” said Stenberg. Higashino managed to locate the SoCal training facility of pro rider Mike Metzger on Google Maps and showed up at the door, asking: “Can I ride?” With his strong will and boundless motivation, Higashino impressed Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, who soon became his mentor. I didn’t care what place I got – just to be in the X Games,” said Higashino in the documentary. Without speaking the language or having any contacts in the scene… Paving his own way, Higashino became a motocross pro at age 20 and arrived in the US in 2007 with $6000 in his pocket and a dream of making it in professional FMX. He recalls first watching the “Crusty Demons of Dirt” freestyle motocross videos and catching the action sports bug. In “A Will Rock Solid”, Higashino revisits his childhood days of racing motocross with his supportive father in Japan. The documentary’s title is a play on the Rock Solid Backflip maneuver – a full backflip rotation while entirely releasing grip on the bike in mid-air – first landed in competition by Higashino during his gold medal-winning run at X Games 2012. “A Will Rock Solid” documents how the impossible dream became reality and Higashino claimed surprise X Games motocross freestyle gold in 2012, followed by two more consecutive X Games gold medals and countless accolades in a storied career.įeaturing interviews with Higashino as well as long-time friend and FMX pioneer Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, the 13-minute video relives one of the most unique careers in the sport. “I thought a guy from Japan doing freestyle motocross and winning the gold medal – impossible! But you never know, so I had to try 100 percent,” said Higashino in the documentary. Putting it all on the line, he traveled to the United States in 2007 with a dream of competing in the X Games. Higashino discovered his passion for freestyle motocross at a young age, when Japan’s active FMX scene was almost non-existent. Produced by Monster Energy, “A Will Rock Solid” featuring Taka Higashino is available now to watch for free on YouTube here. Released today to global audiences across Monster Energy’s social media channels, the video provides an in-depth look at the 36-year-old motocross innovator and three-time X Games gold medalist from Osaka, Japan.
Get the inside story of a freestyle motocross legend! Monster Energy is proud to announce the release of “A Will Rock Solid,” a new video documentary featuring FMX icon Taka Higashino.
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