Billy Joel is selling his massive collection of over 70 vintage motorcycles and this is what's up for grabs
Published on Oct 17, 2026 at 12:05 AM (UTC-4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Oct 17, 2026 at 12:05 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Billy Joel is selling off his massive collection of more than 70 vintage motorcycles, and there’s some seriously neat bikes up for the taking.
The Uptown Girl singer has accumulated quite the epic haul over the years.
But now in his 70s, he’s decided it’s time to part ways with them.
If you fancied yourself a motorcycle enthusiast, then this collection is bound to pique your interest.
Most celebrities opt for a car collection, but Billy Joel has taken a different route
When you think of famous faces with vehicle collections, your mind will usually go to car collections.
Whether that’s Tim Allen or Jay Leno, there’s a lot out there for car fans to look at with a mixture of envy and admiration.
But for motorcycle fans, the world of celebrity hasn’t offered up as many collections to ogle.
Sure, there are celebrities who own motorbikes, like Charles Leclerc.
But there aren’t many who could be described as avid collectors.
That is, except for the one and only Billy Joel.
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Taking a closer look at Billy Joel’s motorcycle collection
In addition to making hits like We Didn’t Start The Fire and Only The Good Die Young, Joel has been collecting and restoring vintage bikes for deades.
He even ran 20th Century Cycles on Long Island, which doubled as a free museum and a shop until 2025.
But now, the 77-year-old has decided that enough is enough, and he’s auctioning off his motorcycle collection.
“I’m into my 70s now, and I realized I can’t ride as much as I used to,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“I don’t want to die like a bug on a windshield. So I thought I’d put a lot of them on auction.”
He went on to say that his brain disorder made riding a bit ‘iffy’, and he realized it was time to ‘turn it over to somebody else’.
There’s a lot of seriously cool bikes in the collection from an array of marques, including Ducati, BMW, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, and much more.
One particularly noteworthy bike in the collection is a 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville, gifted to Joel by Madison Square Garden to commemorate his 150th sold-out show in the venue.
This bike is expected to fetch between $10,000 and $15,000 at auction.
There’s also a 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica (expected to fetch between $15,000 and $25,000), made to honor the motorcycle ridden by Mike Hailwood in his 1978 comeback victory on the Isle of Man.
When will this collection be going up for sale?
“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,” Gooding Christie’s President David Gooding said.
“Billy Joel is one of the most recognized motorcycle enthusiasts in the world and we are thrilled to be presenting his prized collection at Retromobile NY in November.”
“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 said.
The Gooding Christies auctions are set to take place on November 20 and 21 at the Javits Center in New York, but public previews start on the 19th.
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
