Billy Joel is Auctioning Off His Motorcycle Collection

Published: Tuesday, October 6, 2026

by Isabelle Tinghino

This November, singer songwriter Billy Joel, aka the "Piano Man", will be auctioning off over 70 motorcycles from his extensive collection of vintage bikes. The auction will take place at the Javits Center in New York City on November 20th and 21st. It will be overseen by Gooding Christie's and Retromobile New York Auctions. The proceeds from the auction will go towards Billy Joel's charity, the Joel Foundation, which raises money to support music education within public schools. However, before they go on sale, they will be on display at Christie's Rockefeller Center from October 8th to the 12th. 

 

 

The collection will include motorcycles manufactured by Ducati, BMW, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Honda, Kawasaki, and Mot Guzzi. One of the most notable bikes being auctioned off is a 1978 T140 Bonneville, which has an estimated price of $10,000 to $15,000. This motorcycle was given to Joel after playing his 150th show at Madison Square Garden and comes with a matching helmet featuring the dates of every show that Joel has played at the Garden. While discussing the auction of his collection, Billy Joel said, "I've loved building this collection. Now it's someone else's turn to hit the road."

 

 

Though a big fan of motorcycles and bike culture, Billy Joel did get into a major accident in 1982. While riding his 1978 Harley-Davidson in Huntington, Long Island, a car ran a red light at the intersection that Joel was crossing, and he was struck by the vehicle. He injured his left thumb and right wrist but did not face any other injuries because he was wearing a helmet. The fear following the accident was whether it would affect his ability to play the piano. Joel was in the hospital for about a month and the release of his album The Nylon Curtain was delayed so he could focus on rehabilitating his hands. Fortunately, his hands recovered and the accident did not deter him from his love of motorcycles either. He continued to ride and expand his collection as the decades went on, with no accidents since.

 

 

As a Billy Joel fan, his love of motorcycles is evident within his music. One of my favorite songs, "You May Be Right" from his Glass Houses album features the line, "Even rode my motorcycle in the rain/And you told me not to drive/But I made it home alive/So you said that only proves that I'm insane." Although I know nothing about motorcycles and have no desire to ride one, these lyrics make me feel as though I am living vicariously through Joel as he is speeding down the freeway, with the rain blowing against him, feeling reckless but also, in some sense, alive. It is exciting to see that these vintage bikes are being given a second life to someone who may be a motorcycle fan as well as an appreciator of Billy Joel's music.

 

For more information reach out to Isabelle Tinghino at isabelle.tinghino@student.shu.edu 

Posted in: news,