Legendary motorcycle speed king, Leslie Van Demark attempts to be among the first to cross the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in the opening celebration aboard his 1936 Indian Model 436 "Upside Down" motorcycle.
The Indian Model 436 "Upside Down" bike was certainly one of the less popular versions of the Indian Four models (1928-1942). While earlier (and later) Fours had inlet-over-exhaust (IOE) cylinder heads with overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valves, the 1936-1937 Indian Four had a unique EOI cylinder head, with the positions reversed. In theory, this would improve fuel vaporization, and the new engine would be much more powerful. However, the new system made the cylinder head, and the rider's inseam, as hot as the hinges on the gates of Hell. As if that wasn't enough, the exhaust valvetrain required frequent adjustment, causing the Four's popularity/sales to plummet. The addition of dual Marvel carburetors in 1937 did not revive interest.
The 436 was a black-eye for Indian, production was eventually halted and the Four was back to it's old self for 1938.
