Completely in his element.
As he feels his way upward, he finds a foothold with his toes and grabs hold of a protruding rock with his hands: Sterling Taylor is a climber and is not deterred by his fear of heights. He loves challenges – and his motorcycle.
Sterling Taylor
Overcoming obstacles.
Overcoming obstacles.
Sterling enjoys two things more than anything else: rock climbing and riding his F 850 GS. "I leave my comfort zone when I'm climbing; I learn more that way", he says. "I think it's important for people to be in nature, to discover it and let things just happen sometimes". Riding a motorcycle is similar. It teaches him a lot about life – every day.
Experiences are the destination.
Experiences are the destination.
It might sound strange, but Sterling has to fight his fear of heights when he's climbing. The fear is still there, even after years of climbing. "I actually think it's a good thing because it makes me feel like I'm alive". 600-metre rock faces are no obstacle for him. "You grow as a person when you challenge yourself". His goal is more than just to reach the top, it's about the experiences he has on the way there. For Sterling, the summit is an additional reward.
Sterling Taylor
Sterling Taylor
Sterling challenges himself.
Sterling challenges himself.
Climbing requires everything from Sterling. The constant training is above all a mental challenge. The tougher it gets, the greater the strain on his body. Sterling has to prepare for long climbing trips. He climbs rock faces almost every day to hone his skills. He challenges himself, practises harder and harder, pushes his limits. "What happens next is really surprising. A year later you're climbing a cliff that you never imagined tackling".
In the great outdoors.
In the great outdoors.
When Sterling wakes up in the morning he reminds himself of what motivates him. "There's still a lot to learn and a lot of new things to try". That's his motto. His goal is to escape the mundane and the ordinary. He wants to experience things differently and feel that special thrill as often as possible. Climbing and riding motorcycles are the perfect outlet for him. He once travelled for a whole year on his motorcycle. "I rode through 47 states, and never spent a single night in a motel. I always just slept next to my bike. Sometimes even in the rain".
An all-purpose motorcycle.
Growing up in Texas, Sterling started riding at the age of nine. His friends had motorcycles too. On the weekends he would meet up with his friends for races out in the countryside. When he was 15 he wrecked his motorcycle. Sterling's mother took away the bike but the meet-ups with his friends continued. "My mother didn't know it, but I was still racing". At the time he was riding dirt bikes. Today he appreciates motorcycles that he can ride both on and off road." Like the F 850 GS. It's important to me, especially when I have to ride to another city for my work. It's also good for expanding my horizons, like when I want to go on an adventure with my friends and do something crazy".
