Founded: 1886
Hercules headquarters: Germany
Hercules parent: ZF Sachs
In 1886, the son of the teacher Carl Marschiitz founded a small workshop. Over time, the workshop turned into a factory called Hercules, in which more than 100 people worked.
With huge competition, the company has established not only the production of bicycles, but also motorcycles. Preferring not to waste money on development, Karl Marshiitz bought already ready engines and installed them on their frames. With the development and modernization of the frame and running gear, the power of the installed motors increased.
Along with serial motorcycles, the company produced special bikes for sport use under the Hercules logo. The most successful developments have undergone modernization. So there were new models full of technical innovations. For example – Hercules W2000 – the first motorcycle with a rotary engine, presented to customers in November 1974, was produced in a limited series.
Not having managed to cope with the critical situation since 1997, the production of motorcycles “Hercules” stopped.