The Hercules Wankel 2000

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the rotary engine was widely seen as the future of internal combustion, promising smooth operation, compact size, and fewer moving parts than traditional piston engines.

Hercules, backed by its parent company Fichtel & Sachs, already had proven rotary engines running successfully in snowmobiles and small aircraft. Building a rotary-powered motorcycle was not a novelty stunt, but a serious attempt to bring this emerging technology to everyday riders. The result was the Hercules Wankel 2000, the first production motorcycle offered to the public with a rotary engine, created to test whether the future of motorcycling might spin rather than piston.

How the Hercules Wankel 2000 Rotary Engine Works

At the heart of the W-2000 is a single-rotor Sachs Wankel engine. Inside the housing, a triangular rotor moves through a trochoid-shaped chamber, carrying out intake, compression, ignition, and exhaust all at once in different sections of the housing.

Combustion pressure pushes directly on the rotor, turning an eccentric shaft instead of a crankshaft. Apex seals along the rotor’s edges perform the same job piston rings do in conventional engines. Timing comes from geometry rather than cams or valves.

Because the rotor sits sideways across the frame, bevel gears redirect power ninety degrees into the transmission. A six-speed gearbox from the Penton 400 dirt bike and a seven-disc wet clutch complete a drivetrain that blends rotary innovation with familiar motorcycle hardware.

Riding the Rotary

When the Hercules Wankel 2000 was introduced, it was met with genuine curiosity and respect. Reviewers recognized it as a serious engineering effort and praised its smooth power delivery, solid construction, and calm, stable ride. It was never seen as a sport motorcycle, but rather as a practical, well-made machine suited to steady riding and daily use. At the same time, many questioned its value, noting that it offered less performance than similarly priced piston-engine motorcycles. The overall reaction was admiration mixed with hesitation: an innovative and well-built motorcycle that intrigued riders, even if it did not persuade most of them to abandon conventional engines.

See it during the Rotary Exhibit at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum from  January 10, 2026 and running until April 30, 2026.