First motordrome at a fun fair

The first motordrome – a wooden banked circuit for motorcycle racing and performances – ever constructed at a fun fair was installed at Coney Island in New York, USA, in 1911. Its 70–80-degree angle allowed daredevil riders to exploit centripetal force and move right up onto the upper wall at high speed. The motordrome soon led to the Wall of Death – a large wooden drum measuring 6–11 m (19–36 ft) diameter, within which motorcyclists and other performers ride around vertical walls at high speed. The audience watches from the top of the drum, as riders start at the base and, after gathering speed, move up the vertical walls. Sometimes still known as a motordrome, or as a silodrome or, in India, Well of Death, the Wall of Death was a regular feature of travelling fun fairs in the 20th century, although they have recently declined in number. Most use “Indian" motorcycles made in the 1920s, as these offer simple mechanicals and a very low riding seat. Coney Island is located in the Brooklyn area of New York. From 1880 until World War II, the three main amusement parks – Luna Park, Dreamland and Steeplechase Park – attracted millions of visitors every year.