Billy Joel to auction motorcycle collection following brain disorder diagnosis

Billy Joel is closing his motorcycle shop in Long Island, New York, and auctioning off his personal collection of bikes as he battles a brain disorder.  

The 76-year-old singer revealed in May that he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which affects his vision, hearing and balance, he said on social media at the time. 

Joel also canceled all of his tour dates for 2025 and through July 2026. 

Earlier this week, Joel’s representative Claire Mercuri told The Associated Press that the music icon will be shuttering 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay in late September and selling his collection at auction later this year due to his medical issue. 

BILLY JOEL’S WIFE REMAINS ‘HOPEFUL’ AS LEGENDARY MUSICIAN BATTLES BRAIN DISORDER

NPH is a condition that occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull and presses on the brain. It is most likely to impact people older than 65. Treating the condition involves surgery to implant a shunt to drain excess fluid from the inside of the skull, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

In his May statement announcing his diagnosis, Joel noted that the condition had been “exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.”

The statement added, “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.”

Joel, who grew up in nearby Hicksville, opened 20th Century Cycles in late 2010 as a place to maintain and repair his motorcycles, restore and customize ones he bought and showcase his collection for the public at no charge.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

“It’s basically promoting an aesthetic here,” he said in a 2013 YouTube video filmed at the shop. “I like older style. I like the automotive style from the ‘30s to the ’60s. I wanted to collect a whole bunch of those kinds of bikes, put ’em in one place and let people see what that era of bike looked like. Because it’s starting to be a lost aesthetic.”

The “Piano Man” hitmaker said he also wanted to bring foot traffic and business to downtown Oyster Bay — a ritzy waterfront community about 25 miles east of midtown Manhattan — where part of the street that includes 20th Century Cycles was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023.

“I’ve been living in this community for a long time,” Joel said in the video. “I actually grew up not far from here. And I’d like to get a little interest going into the town and the village.”

Joel’s nearby home in Centre Island is listed for $29.9 million, and he has been living in South Florida, while keeping a home in Sag Harbor on Long Island.

The shop became a popular stop for motorcycle enthusiasts and tourists. It was home to Joel’s collection of more than 75 bikes, which date all the way back to the 1940s and include Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians and BMWs. 

Joel noted that one of his most valuable bikes was a 1952 Vincent Rapide, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes more, according to auction sites.

Joel’s enthusiasm for motorcycles dates back decades. In 1982, he was riding a motorcycle on Long Island when he was struck by a car that ran a red light, injuring his left thumb and dislocating his right wrist. He spent about a month in the hospital. 

The singer has also ridden motorcycles during various benefits for 9/11 first responders, breast cancer and other causes over the years.

A date for the auction of his collection has not been set.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.