Edelweiss Keeps It All in the Family

We all know it can be addictive and it is certainly spreading. Maybe it is even a yet undiscovered gen that is passed on from generation to generation: The love for motorcycles and the curiosity to explore unknown places. The Wachter family definitely has this limitless passion for two-wheels and travelling in their genes.

Tobias, son of Coral and Werner Wachter, the founders of Edelweiss Bike Travel, was undeniably born with it! Since early childhood his life circles around bikes and now he goes all in! So here is the reason for our celebration and the hot news: Tobias Wachter is the new owner of Edelweiss Bike Travel, now operating the family business together with Rainer Buck as CEO!

Tobias, 31, On- and Off-road Trainer, eloquent world-traveler, Edelweiss Tour guide since he was legally allowed to and as a private person a passionate Motocross, Enduro and downhill rider – he literally has it all and knows the company inside out. After attending business studies at University and working in marketing and sales for an international big player in industry, he joined the Edelweiss team full-time in 2016. Now the time is right to follow his mum and dad’s footsteps to direct the future Edelweiss journey.

Tobias: “I am looking forward to this exciting new adventure, to working together with Rainer and the whole Edelweiss team, with our trusted partners and with our loyal guests. It will be a great journey to discover many new places with you all.”

Back in 1980 Edelweiss Bike Travel truly started off like some Appel Inc. story, in the basement of a family home with three little kids, in a nice neighborhood in Mieming / Tyrol / Austria. Werner Wachter had this innovative idea to create guided motorcycle tours, elating Coral with it and they both went all in. The Alps are motorcycle heaven, so why not bring fellow bikers here and show them the nicest roads and hidden treasures?

That’s how it all started, in the place which Werner still fondly calls “the center of the motorcycle universe”. But since there are so many amazing places out there yet to be discovered on two wheels, Edelweiss started conquering the world: from the deserts of northern Africa, to the Golden Gate Bridge, to places like Israel, Oman, the Soviet Union, Nepal, or all the way to the land down under. Edelweiss literally expanded the touring concept which was born in the Alps over the whole planet.

At first Coral and Werner did it all, the planning, scouting and guiding, but soon the company started flourishing and growing. Now Edelweiss Bike Travel can look back at a true success story. Since the very beginning, Edelweiss has always striven to be and has over the past 38 years become worldwide the undisputable #1 in global motorcycle tours!

While the HQ is still in Mieming, nowadays there are more than 20 employees, more than 50 worldwide Tourguides, an own workshop taking care of a fleet containing more than 150 company owned latest model bikes and support vans with which we travel to more than 80 touring destinations and even circumnavigating our planet with the World Tour.

While many things have changed, one thing has not: Edelweiss Bike Travel is still 100% family owned and operated. The founders Coral and Werner still inspire the Edelweiss team every day, which keeps the spark of the founding spirit alive to the present.We want to size this moment to acknowledge and thank Coral and Werner for all their unceasing efforts, their continuous inspiration, constant innovation and their sharing of passion and enthusiasm.

Special thanks go out to the unsung ones in the family background, their daughters Anne and Sabine, as it is the whole Wachter family who stands behind the success story of Edelweiss Bike Travel.

Further this occasion is just perfect to wholeheartedly wish Tobias all the best on his exciting Edelweiss Bike Travel journey. You have all it takes – enjoy “the best ride there is”!

“I am very happy about the development at Edelweiss and that Tobias has decided to continue to run the company as a family business and to actively participate in the business. This ensures that Edelweiss will continue to be innovative and customer-oriented in the market in the future. Following the motto “Standstill is regression” I am looking forward to all the projects that Tobias and I are already planning. The community of 2-wheel travelers can already look forward to it.” – Rainer Buck

“More than 35 years is a long time to run a business, however when you are having fun, time fly’s! Most of the time we were having fun and the years just seem to slip by. We really have a lot of satisfaction observing the changes and growth of Edelweiss Bike Travel and are completely confident that this growth and innovation will continue under Rainer and Tobias’ leadership. They build a fine team and have a dedicated and ambitious staff working with them. We look forward to successful years ahead that we can observe and participate in.” -Werner Wachter