Billy Joel is selling more than 70 motorcycles from his personal collection at Gooding Christie’s inaugural Rétromobile New York auction on November 20 and 21, 2026, at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Every bike is offered without reserve, meaning each one sells to the highest bidder regardless of the number, and proceeds benefit The Joel Foundation. 

The lineup ranges from a restored 1975 Ducati 750 Sport to a Honda Super Cub, with a Madison Square Garden tribute Triumph in between. This is one of the biggest celebrity motorcycle sales in years, and it lands in the same city where Joel rode most of these bikes.

If you've ever walked into 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay on a weekend, you've seen this collection in person. If you haven't, the public preview at the Javits Center and a select display at Christie's Rockefeller Center in October are your last chances before the bikes scatter to new garages. Here's what's on offer, what makes the standout lots special, and what they might bring on the block. And if you can't bid, we'll show you how to rent a motorcycle in New York that gets you most of the same feeling for a lot less money.

What Is the Billy Joel Motorcycle Collection Auction?

It's a two-day, no-reserve sale of Billy Joel's motorcycles run by Gooding Christie's as the auction centerpiece of the first Rétromobile New York show. According to the official announcement, the collection spans Ducati, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Norton, Indian, and more, and it includes stock originals, period-correct restorations, sidecar rigs, and the vintage-styled customs Joel's shop became known for. The live auction runs Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21, with a public preview Thursday through Saturday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The announcement released three lots with estimates. A 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville that Madison Square Garden gave Joel to mark his 150th sold-out show carries a $10,000 to $15,000 estimate, a 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica is estimated at $15,000 to $25,000, and a restored 1975 Ducati 750 Sport leads at $25,000 to $35,000. Gooding Christie's says the full online catalogue arrives in late October, so expect dozens more estimates to land before the sale. Forbes reported the auction was prompted by the closure of 20th Century Cycles, which left the collection without a home and a service bay.

Joel's own words set the tone for the sale. "I've always been drawn to bikes built by people who cared about getting every detail right," he said in the announcement. "I've loved building this collection. Now it's someone else's turn to hit the road."

Who Is Billy Joel the Motorcyclist?

Billy Joel is one of the most committed motorcycle enthusiasts in music, and he has the shop to prove it. Joel, who grew up in Levittown, opened 20th Century Cycles in a converted dealership building in Oyster Bay, Long Island at the end of 2010, and for the next 15 years it was free to walk through on weekends. At its peak it displayed 75 or more motorcycles sorted into bobbers, cafe racers, cruisers, sidecar rigs, and stock bikes. In 2023 the town renamed the street outside it Billy Joel Way.

The collection has a point of view. Joel has said he likes automotive style from the 1930s through the 1960s, and the shop's stated philosophy was that vintage motorcycles look better while modern ones work better, so the builds turned older machines into ridable, practical bikes with a nod toward the past. His devotion to Moto Guzzi runs deep enough that he has visited the factory in Mandello del Lario for service, and his Guzzi stable has included a V7, a California Vintage, an 850 T, and several cafe racer customs. He also built a custom for Bruce Springsteen, which famously broke down on a New Jersey roadside on Veterans Day 2016 before a group of American Legion members gave the Boss a ride.

The shop closed in 2025. CBS New York reported in August 2025 that it would stay open weekends through the end of that month as Joel sold his Oyster Bay property and relocated to Florida following a health diagnosis. The auction is the next chapter. Instead of warehousing the bikes, Joel is sending every one of them back out on the road through riders who will use them, with the proceeds going to the foundation he and Alexis Joel run.

Why Is This Auction a Big Deal?

Four things make this sale unusual, and together they explain why collectors are paying attention. First, the seller. Celebrity provenance adds a premium to almost any collectible, and Joel is not a celebrity who bought bikes for show. He rode them, modified them, and opened the doors so the public could see them.

Second, the house. Gooding & Company was founded in 2003 by David Gooding and was acquired by Christie’s in 2024 to become Gooding Christie's, which gives this sale the reach of the world's best-known art auction house.

Third, the format. Everything sells without reserve, so there are no bought-in lots and no floor under the bidding.

Fourth, the stage. Rétromobile has run in Paris for 50 years and is the standard-bearer for European collector car shows, and Rétromobile New York is its first American edition, running November 19 to 22 at the Javits Center and organized by Comexposium with the duPont Registry Group. The Gooding Christie's auction is headlined by Steve McQueen's 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spider, estimated at $15 million to $20 million, which means the bidders in the room on Saturday have serious money and will be looking for something to buy on the way out. A no-reserve Ducati at $30,000 is a rounding error to that crowd, and that's good news for The Joel Foundation and bad news for anyone hoping for a bargain.

Which Motorcycles Should You Watch?

The three bikes with published estimates are the obvious headliners, but the depth of the collection is where it gets interesting. Based on the official release, Gear Patrol’s early lot roundup, early Gooding Christie’s lot listings, and Motorcycles.news, here are 14 lots worth your attention, what makes each one special, and where we expect the bidding to land. Where Gooding Christie's has published an estimate, we use it. Everywhere else, the price point is our market guide drawn from recent auction results for comparable bikes, before any premium for the Joel name. Treat those as a floor, not a ceiling.

• 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville “Madison Square Garden” Custom. The emotional centerpiece. Madison Square Garden gave Joel this bike to celebrate his 150th sold-out show at the arena, and it wears a custom blue paint job with piano keys across the tank, “Billy Joel 150” lettering on the airbox, and a matching helmet that lists every Garden date he played. The 744cc parallel twin is a late Meriden-era Bonneville, which you can read more about in our Triumph motorcycle history. Gooding Christie's estimate is $10,000 to $15,000, and we'd be surprised if it didn't double that. There is only one of these, and it's the single most Billy Joel object in the sale.

• 1975 Ducati 750 Sport. The most valuable bike announced so far, and the one serious Ducati collectors will fly in for. The 750 Sport pairs Fabio Taglioni's bevel-drive 748cc 90-degree L-twin with clip-ons, rearsets, and that unmistakable yellow and black paint, and this example has been fully restored. Gooding Christie's calls it one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever conceived, and the estimate is $25,000 to $35,000. Restored bevel-drive Sports have sold above that range at other auction houses in recent years, so a no-reserve example with this provenance could set the high mark for the collection. Our Ducati history overview covers how the bevel twins put Ducati on the map.

• 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica. Ducati built the MHR to celebrate Mike Hailwood's comeback win at the 1978 Isle of Man TT, where the 38-year-old beat the factory Hondas on a privateer Ducati after 11 years away from the island. The road bike carries the 864cc bevel-drive twin, Hailwood's red, green, and white livery, and a full fairing. Estimate is $15,000 to $25,000. These are the most accessible way into a bevel-drive Ducati, and they draw bidders who remember the race.

• 1977 Harley-Davidson XLCR. Willie G. Davidson's cafe racer was a commercial flop when new and is a blue-chip collectible now. Built on a modified Sportster frame with the 1000cc iron-head V-twin, bikini fairing, and siamesed pipes, the XLCR ran the quarter mile in the high 12s and was the fastest production Harley of its day, but traditional buyers didn't want it and sportbike buyers went Japanese. Only 3,123 were built in 1977 and 1978. No estimate yet. A driver-quality example sold for $11,000 at Mecum Las Vegas in January 2025, while Cycle News notes top examples have reached $23,500. Plan on $12,000 to $25,000, and read our Harley-Davidson Sportster history for the family tree.

• 1962 Norton Atlas Custom Cafe Racer. This is a NYC Norton build, which means Kenny Cummings's Jersey City shop, the most respected Norton specialist on the East Coast, put a 1975 Commando engine into a 1962 Atlas featherbed-style chassis and finished it as a proper cafe racer. The featherbed frame is the one every cafe racer since has been trying to copy, and the 828cc Commando twin gives it real pace. No estimate published. A stock Atlas typically changes hands in the low teens, and a documented builder custom with this provenance should land well above that. We'd watch for $15,000 to $30,000.

• 1949 Indian Super Scout. One of the rarest bikes in the sale and a piece of American motorcycle history. After Ralph Rogers took control of Indian in 1945, the company bet on lightweight vertical twins to fight the British imports, and the 440cc Scout 249 was the result. It weighed about 315 pounds, ran near 85 mph, and helped bankrupt the company by 1953. The Super Scout added touring extras like saddlebags and a windshield, and Joel's example wears both. No estimate yet. A low-mileage 1949 Scout sold for $19,550 at RM Sotheby’s, so figure $10,000 to $20,000. For more on the era, read our history of motorcycle riders in America.

• 1954 NSU Max. A German lightweight that was the best-engineered 250 in the world in its day. The Max used a 247cc overhead-cam single with NSU's unique Ultramax drive, which ran the camshaft with connecting rods instead of a chain, inside a pressed-steel frame. NSU was the largest motorcycle manufacturer on earth in 1955. Its minimalist 1950s design fits Joel's taste exactly. No estimate yet. Expect $5,000 to $12,000 depending on originality.

• 1967 BSA A50 Royal Star. The A50 was the 500cc little brother of the A65 and used the same unit-construction parallel twin layout, which means the engine and gearbox share one case. It's a gentle, torquey British twin that's easier to live with than a Bonneville and cheaper to buy. No estimate yet. Plan on $5,000 to $9,000.

• 1971 Honda CB450. The original Black Bomber lineage. The CB450's 444cc double overhead cam twin with torsion-bar valve springs was Honda's first serious big bike and the machine that told the British industry what was coming. It revs to 9,000 rpm and still looks modern next to its contemporaries. No estimate yet. Figure $4,000 to $9,000, with the Joel name pushing it toward the top. If you want to know why a DOHC twin mattered, our guide to motorcycle engine types explains it.

• 1982 Moto Guzzi V35 Imola. A small-block Guzzi for the Guzzi devotee. The V35 Imola, named for the Italian racetrack, used Mandello's 346cc transverse V-twin with shaft drive in a compact sport chassis, and it's one of the most charming lightweight Italians of its era. Given how much of Joel's heart belongs to Moto Guzzi, expect the Guzzi lots to attract his most loyal fans. No estimate yet. Figure $4,000 to $8,000.

• 1999 Kawasaki W650 by Deus Ex Machina. The only bike in the sale from a custom house with a global following. The W650 was Kawasaki's retro twin with a bevel-gear driven overhead cam, and Deus Ex Machina in Sydney turned them into some of the best-known customs of the 2000s. A Deus W650 sold for £6,900 at Bonhams in December 2023, about $8,700 at the time. No estimate yet. Figure $8,000 to $15,000.

• 1994 BMW R100R Mystic. Among the last of the airheads. BMW built the R100R Mystic for just a few years in the mid-1990s as a wire-wheeled, retro-styled sendoff for the air-cooled boxer before the oilhead R1100 took over. A 783-mile example sold for $6,750 in 2022, and this one is listed by Gooding Christie’s without an estimate yet. Figure $6,000 to $12,000. Our BMW motorcycle history runs through every boxer generation.

• 2005 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Cafe. A 499cc single that traces its design to the late 1940s, built into a cafe racer with clip-ons and a solo seat. It's the cheapest way to own a bike that looks like it belongs in 20th Century Cycles. No estimate yet. Figure $4,000 to $8,000.

• 2021 Honda Super Cub and 2018 Yamaha TW200. The two smallest bikes in the sale and probably the two with the most bidders. The Super Cub is the best-selling motor vehicle in history with more than 100 million built, and the fat-tire TW200 has barely changed since 1987. Neither will bring much money, with both likely in the $3,000 to $6,000 range, but a Super Cub that Billy Joel rode around Oyster Bay is the kind of lot that creates a bidding war out of pure affection. Both also appear in our ten best beginner motorcycles conversation for a reason.

The sale goes deeper still. Motorcycles News reports a 2014 Yamaha Bolt, a Swedish Nymans moped, and even a 1941 Chevrolet AK-series pickup are expected to cross the block, and the official announcement promises sidecar rigs and Harley-Davidsons from several decades. When the full catalog drops, the Knucklehead and Panhead customs that defined the shop's look will be the next lots to watch.

What Will the Bikes Sell For?

Most lots will sell above their market value, and a few will sell far above it. Three forces push in the same direction here. No reserve brings more bidders into the room because everyone believes they have a shot. Celebrity provenance adds a premium that scales with how personal the object is, which is why the Madison Square Garden Triumph could outrun bikes that are objectively more valuable. And charity sales loosen wallets, since the buyer gets the bike and the good feeling in one transaction. Remember to add the buyer���s premium, which is 12 percent on the first $250,000 of the hammer price, so a $20,000 hammer costs $22,400 before tax and transport.

If you're bidding, do the same homework you'd do on any used motorcycle. Our used motorcycle values buyer’s guide walks through pricing, inspection, and the questions to ask. Register with Gooding Christie's before the sale, attend the preview, and set a ceiling that includes the premium. Then stick to it, because no-reserve auctions are designed to make you forget that number.

How to See the Collection Before It Sells

You have two chances. Select motorcycles will be on display at Christie's Rockefeller Center from October 8 to 12, with viewing by advance appointment. The full collection then goes on public preview at the Javits Center from Thursday, November 19 through Saturday, November 21, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

The preview runs inside Rétromobile New York, so a show ticket gets you the bikes plus a floor full of Ferraris, dealers like Fiskens and Hyman Ltd., and the Revs Institute display. Go Thursday if you want time alone with the Ducatis.

Can't Buy One? Ride One.

Most of us won't take a Billy Joel bike home, but the riding experience behind this collection is available any weekend. Twisted Road hosts list Ducati rentals, Triumph rentals, BMW rentals, Harley-Davidson rentals, Honda rentals, and Yamaha rentals across the country, including modern Bonnevilles, Scramblers, and R nineTs that chase the same vintage look Joel built his shop around. Search motorcycle rentals in New York and you can ride out to Oyster Bay yourself, past Billy Joel Way, on a bike that fits the mood. Here’s how renting works if you're new to the platform.

Auctions are also where a lot of riders discover they want a bike they've never ridden. Before you bid on a cafe racer or a Sportster because it looks right, test ride the model first. A day on a rented Sportster will tell you whether an XLCR-style riding position suits you better than a cruiser ever could, and every two full-price rides earn a free day through One, Two, Free. Our list of the top 15 most popular rentals on Twisted Road is a good place to start.

The Final Word on the Billy Joel Motorcycle Auction

Collections like this don't come up often, and collections built by someone who actually rides come up even less often. Billy Joel spent 15 years turning old motorcycles into bikes that work, then let anyone who wandered into Oyster Bay look at them for free. Selling them without reserve, for charity, in the city that made him, is a fitting last act for 20th Century Cycles. Whether you're bidding, previewing, or just reading the catalogue, pay attention. The next owner of that Madison Square Garden Triumph will have a story to tell at every gas station for the rest of their life.

FAQs

When and where is the Billy Joel motorcycle auction?

Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, as part of Gooding Christie's Rétromobile New York Auctions.

How many motorcycles is Billy Joel selling?

More than 70 motorcycles from his personal collection, plus a few related items such as a vintage moped and a 1941 Chevrolet pickup, according to early reports.

Are the motorcycles sold with a reserve?

No. Every lot in the Billy Joel Motorcycle Collection is offered without reserve, meaning each bike sells to the highest bidder regardless of price.

Which bikes have published estimates so far?

Three. The 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville Madison Square Garden custom at $10,000 to $15,000, the 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica at $15,000 to $25,000, and the 1975 Ducati 750 Sport at $25,000 to $35,000. The full catalog with remaining estimates is expected in late October.

Where do the proceeds go?

Proceeds benefit The Joel Foundation, led by Billy and Alexis Joel, which supports music education, public health, humanitarian causes, and environmental initiatives.

Can I see the bikes before the auction?

Yes. Select motorcycles will be displayed at Christie's Rockefeller Center from October 8 to 12 by appointment, and the full collection will be on public preview at the Javits Center from November 19 to 21, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

What was 20th Century Cycles?

Billy Joel's motorcycle shop and free public gallery in Oyster Bay, Long Island. It opened at the end of 2010, housed 75 or more bikes, and closed in 2025. The street outside was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023.