Musician Billy Joel is parting ways with his motorcycle collection due to health issues.
Billy Joel Bids Farewell to His Vintage Motorcycle Collection
Legendary pop musician Billy Joel, a staple in the music industry since the 70s, is taking an unexpected break from his career due to health issues, but not retiring. During this time, he is auctioning off his extensive motorcycle collection, a significant part of his personal interests.
The collection, housed at Joel's "20th Century Cycles" motorcycle shop in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, features over 75 bikes, primarily from the 1940s through the 1960s. The prestigious brands included are Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Indian, and BMW.
Notable individual motorcycles in the collection include a 1952 Vincent Rapide, considered one of the most valuable bikes, a recreation of the Harley-Davidson café racer he was riding when injured in 1982, a Royal Enfield Scrambler, a 1960 BMW R60 with a 1975 R90/S drivetrain "Wehrmacht Gespann," a 1999 Kawasaki Drifter, a 1982 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza, a 1975 Ducati 750 Sport, and a Harley-Davidson Panhead.
Due to a brain disorder diagnosis, Joel will not renew the lease for the "20th Century Cycles" store after it expires at the end of September. The display of his motorcycle collection, which is free on weekends, will be auctioned off later this year to help fund his medical expenses.
Joel's love for motorcycles has been featured in several of his music videos, reflecting an aesthetic he admires from mid-20th century motorcycling. Despite the auction, fans can still visit the collection on weekends before it disappears from the shop.
Throughout his career, Joel has given the world hits like "We Didn't Start the Fire," "Piano Man," and "Uptown Girl." However, in recent performances, his health issues have caused hearing, vision, and balance problems, leading to the cancellation of all his planned concerts.
Despite this setback, Joel remains optimistic. In a statement through his friend, US talk show host Howard Stern, Joel said, "I'm not going to die."
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/24/arts/music/billy-joel-motorcycles-auction.html [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57868194 [3] https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jun/24/billy-joel-motorcycle-collection-auctioned-to-help-fund-medical-expenses [4] https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/news/billy-joel-motorcycle-collection-auction-to-benefit-medical-expenses/ [5] https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/billy-joel-to-auction-off-motorcycle-collection-to-help-fund-medical-expenses/ar-AAQw960
