Billy Joel’s motorcycles are Movin’ Out of his garage, and if you’re a motorcycle fan, you might want to pay attention. The legendary singer-songwriter is putting more than 70 motorcycles from his personal collection up for grabs at Gooding & Christie’s inaugural Retromobile New York auction. The collection will be offered entirely without reserve on November 20 and 21 at New York City’s Javits Center. And this isn’t just a celebrity collection full of bikes that look good sitting next to a piano. Joel has collected motorcycles from a wide range of eras and manufacturers, including Ducati, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, Triumph, Honda and Kawasaki.
One of the coolest pieces is a custom-painted 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville that was given to Joel by Madison Square Garden after his 150th sold-out show at the venue. The bike even comes with a matching helmet listing every show and year he played there. The auction estimates the Triumph at $10,000-$15,000, without reserve.
There’s also a 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica, estimated at $15,000-$25,000, along with a restored 1975 Ducati 750 Sport estimated at $25,000-$35,000. Joel has been a motorcycle enthusiast and collector for decades, and he seems pretty comfortable with the idea of letting these bikes find new homes. “I’ve always been drawn to bikes built by people who cared about getting every detail right,” Joel said. “I’ve loved building this collection. Now it’s someone else’s turn to hit the road.” The proceeds from the sale will support The Joel Foundation, which backs organizations focused on music education, health, humanitarian causes and the environment.
So if you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of Billy Joel’s two-wheeled history, November could be your chance. Just don’t be surprised if the bidding gets a little louder than “Piano Man.”
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