Billy Joel is selling his motorcycle collection.
The 77-year-old singer is putting more than 70 bikes up for auction in New York City this November, including Harley-Davidsons, Yamahas, and BMWs, according to Gooding Christie’s auction house. The two-day sale will run Nov. 20 and 21 at the Javits Center as part of Rétromobile NY, a classic car show that originated in Paris and is now partnering with the auction house.
“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 in a statement.
The collection features a 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville presented to Joel by Madison Square Garden after his 150th sold-out show at the venue. That bike carries an estimated price tag of $15,000. A restored 1975 Ducati 750 Sport is expected to fetch around $35,000, with a Christie’s spokesperson calling it “one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever conceived.” A 1982 Ducati Mike Hailwood 900 also sits among the offerings.
David Gooding, president of Gooding Christie’s, praised both the collection and its location. “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,” he said. Gooding added, “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.”
All proceeds from the auction will benefit The Joel Foundation, a nonprofit focused on music education and the arts. Before the main event, the motorcycles will be on public display from Oct. 8 to 12 at the auction house’s Rockefeller Center showroom.
The sale follows Joel’s closure last year of his beloved Long Island motorcycle shop, a move that came after his diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder involving fluid buildup that can affect thinking, concentrating and memory. The “New York State of Mind” singer recently underwent surgery for the condition.
The auction preview opens Oct. 8 at Rockefeller Center.