Billy Joel Auctions Motorcycle Collection for Charity
The legendary musician is selling over 70 vintage bikes, with proceeds benefiting The Joel Foundation.
Billy Joel, known for his prolific music career, is auctioning his extensive collection of more than 70 vintage motorcycles, with all proceeds designated for charitable causes.
The collection will be offered at Gooding Christie's inaugural Rétromobile New York Auctions on November 20 and 21 at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Each motorcycle will be sold without reserve, meaning there is no minimum bid.
Among the notable items is a 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville, custom-painted and gifted to Joel by Madison Square Garden after his 150th sold-out show there. This bike is estimated to fetch between $10,000 and $15,000 and comes with a matching helmet inscribed with the details of his performances at the venue. Joel holds the record for the most sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden.
Other highlights include a 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000, and a restored 1975 Ducati 750 Sport, estimated at $25,000 to $35,000.
The collection features a diverse range of manufacturers, including Ducati, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, Triumph, Honda, and Kawasaki. Joel cultivated this passion over decades, even opening his own motorcycle shop, 20th Century Cycles, in Oyster Bay, Long Island, in 2010.
Joel has previously expressed his admiration for the craftsmanship of older motorcycles, noting that his collection often included bikes modified for modern usability while retaining their vintage aesthetic.
His motorcycle shop closed in 2025 following Joel's diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus. Although the condition impacted his hearing, vision, and balance, subsequent surgery to implant a shunt has reportedly improved his memory, balance, and daily functioning.
Selected motorcycles from the collection will be on public display at Christie's Rockefeller Center from October 8 to 12. The full auction catalog is expected in October.
Joel stated, "I've always been drawn to bikes built by people who cared about getting every detail right. I've loved building this collection. Now it's someone else's turn to hit the road."
The funds raised will support The Joel Foundation, which aids nonprofit organizations focused on music education, health, humanitarian causes, and environmental issues.