How Speedwell Supply Started
We all love riding motorcycles. For some it’s a hobby, for others it’s an entire lifestyle. Either way, we all love riding motorcycles to the middle of nowhere; or right down to main st.
My name is Ethan White and I’m the founder of Speedwell Supply. I moved to California from Ohio in 2018 to be a “professional” Harley hooligan flat track racer. It actually worked pretty well until the height of COVID, when everything shut down.
Speedwell is a brand that birthed itself out of necessity after doing a film project with Indian motorcycle. At that time I only had Harley Davidsons, but was entertaining any and all motorcycle brands that could put food on the table and gas in my tank. The saddlebag company raised itself out of necessity. There were no good options for the Indian I had just purchased, so with the help of some friends, I made one.
The business idea was born right there. The only problem was I didn’t actually understand business at all. I had however shot a handful of marketing campaigns for large brands, so how hard could design, shipping, sales, customer service be? Fuck, racing had been trying to kill me for some time and I’ve personally watched it take others. So, after 9 concussions from flat track racing and mental health problems following each wreck. I was so ready to quit motorcycle racing and start a company.
Turns out business is very hard, but I became obsessed. For me, the process has quickly gamified into something fun and challenging. To put my obsessions into perspective, In 2016 I was ranked #2 in the world for men’s professional downhill skateboard slalom racing. I retired that year after meeting Roland Sands in a bar in Texas, when he told me about this hooliganism. So anyways, I just decided to reframe business as my new extreme sport. It’s only been a year and a half now and I gotta say it’s cool. I’m in this for the long haul.
Speedwell is specializing in saddlebags to avoid being another T-shirt and foot peg company. We will continue developing bags to fit the market. I devoted so much of my life to motorcycles; even living out of a sprinter van about 150 days a year from 2018-2021. I hit all the rally’s and races across America. Lost more than I won. I’ve seen a thing or two, made a few friends, and been in some cool places. Speedwell saddlebags will continue to build on that knowledge and lifestyle. Our brand will focus on good quality saddlebags for custom bikes. Expect more new, classic, and hybrid designs in the future.
Ethan White,
Speedwell Supply Founder
