The “Wall Of Death” is a popular carnival attraction, generally starring motorcycle riders who seemingly defy gravity by riding vintage iron on the vertical walls of a large wooden bowl. There’s physics behind the spectacle, and what at first seems impossible (or at best, just incredibly dangerous) really just relies on velocity and centrifugal force. It’s perfectly safe unless the motorcycle suddenly loses momentum, in which case bike and rider plummet back to earth in a rather unpleasant fashion.
Some shows also incorporate microcars into their Wall of Death shows, since the same principles apply. As long as you’ve got enough velocity, four wheels can be made to stick to the wall as well as two wheels. The trick, it seems, is to use a bowl with the smallest possible diameter.
We’ll admit to being skeptics the first time we watched the video, but we’re believers now. We wouldn’t try this at home, even if we had a Wall of Death in our backyard and a Mazda2 in our driveway, but the science behind it is solid. As they say on Mythbusters, this stunt is completely plausible.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
