The Rétromobile New York Auctions will take place on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 and will be presented entirely without reserve
Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Billy Joel’s motorcycle collection will hit the auction block
- Gooding Christie’s, the official auction house of Rétromobile New York, will present the collection of more than 70 motorcycles
- The Rétromobile New York Auctions will take place on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21
Billy Joel’s motorcycles are hitting the auction block!
On Monday, Sept. 28, it was announced that Gooding Christie’s, the official auction house of Rétromobile New York, would host the “Piano Man” hitmaker’s collection of more than 70 motorcycles as its first major consignment, per a press release.
The Rétromobile New York Auctions, the upcoming inaugural sale, will take place at the Javits Center in New York City on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 and will be presented entirely without reserve.
Credit: Myrna M. Suarez/Getty
Select offerings from Joel’s collection will be on display at Christie’s Rockefeller Center from Oct. 8-12. Those interested in scheduling viewing appointments should reach out to the auction house in advance to do so.
“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,” Joel, 77, said in a statement.
According to a press release, Joel’s bikes include styles from Ducati, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, Triumph, Honda, Kawasaki, and more.
The collection will feature a custom-painted 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville (estimate: $10,000 – $15,000, without reserve) that Madison Square Garden gifted to Joel for his 150th sold-out show at the venue. It was commissioned especially for the five-time Grammy winner and features a matching helmet listing every show and year he played at Madison Square Garden.
Credit: Gooding Christie’s
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Also featured in the collection is a 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica (estimate: $15,000 – $25,000, without reserve), marketed by the motorcycle brand to commemorate the bike Mike Hailwood rode for his comeback victory at the 1978 Isle of Man. There will also be the opportunity to purchase a 1975 Ducati 750 Sport (estimate: $25,000 – $35,000, without reserve).
Credit: Gooding Christie’s
Proceeds from the sale will support the rocker’s organization, The Joel Foundation, which brings “the power of music to its students and communities,” per Joel’s official website.
Of the collection, Gooding Christie’s president David Gooding said: “We are truly honored to present the Billy Joel Motorcycle Collection, and with what better location than New York City itself, a place so strongly associated with Mr. Joel and his celebrated legacy as one of the most beloved musicians of all time. Billy Joel is one of the most recognized motorcycle enthusiasts in the world, and we are thrilled to be presenting his prized collection at Rétromobile NY in November.”
Credit: Gooding Christie’s
In August 2025, it was announced that Joel’s motorcycle shop on Long Island, N.Y. 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay would be closing, as he chose not to renew his lease on the property, his rep confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.
Per rep Claire Mercuri, Joel planned to auction the collection due to his normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) diagnosis.
Earlier this month, Joel provided a health update for his fans after revealing his medical condition one year prior.
During an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Billy Joel Channel, Joel recalled first noticing that his “balance was not good,” and he went to see a doctor after falling during a concert.
It was then that he was diagnosed with NPH, a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain ventricles. Soon, he began physical therapy before doctors recommended he undergo a shunt procedure.
“I said, ‘Well, what does that entail?’ ‘Well, we drill a hole through your skull and we stick a shunt inside your brain.’ I said, ‘Nah, I think I’ll pass on that.’ I didn’t want to do that, but then I read up on it, and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory. You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles,” Joel said at the time.
He added, “It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt. I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain — and it actually improved things.”
Read the full article here
