Motorcycle stunt men challenge records

The Lan'ao Motorcycle Stunt Performing Team performs highly difficult maneuvers at full speed in a ball-shaped iron cage with a diameter of only five meters. [Photo by Bai Shi/China.org.cn]

On a street in Changchun, Jilin Province, on Sept. 9, four young men performed various kinds of highly difficult and risky maneuvers at full speed in a ball-shaped iron cage with a diameter of only five meters.

Shuttling to and fro, up and down, and making a 360-degree rotation in one second, the motorcyclists' dazzling and wonderful performance drew showers of applause from the audience.

This is a show performed by the Lan'ao Motorcycle Stunt Performing Team from Heze City, Shandong Province. The four young members are aged from 21 to 27 and have performing tours all over the country throughout the year.

As seasoned performers, they are used to the hardships of living in the open. The vehicles and equipment used for their shows are all home-made, with each motorcycle costing about 4,000 yuan (US$607). To save money, all their costumes, paraphernalia and living expenses have been minimized.

Tian Zhongsheng, 27, the team leader, has been working as a motorcycle stunt performer for nine years. He has had four surgeries in his career and still has two steel plates inserted in his left leg to fix the bones.

Tian comes from a poor family. His wife takes care of their child and old parents at home. With a monthly income of about 8,000 yuan, Tian has to work very hard to pay all the expenses of the family.

"No matter how hard it is, I must keep on working to support my family," Tian said.