If you are a music lover the name of Billy Joel It should at least “sound familiar”. Considered by many one of the most successful and respected recording artists of all time, he currently has more than 150 million records sold and numerous industry-related awards. Among them, the New Yorker is the winner of six Grammysbeing nominated for this award more than twenty times.
His career has been acclaimed with countless recognitions, including induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the same time, Joel has always been considered a great lover of the world of motors, having an extensive collection of cars and motorcycles to his credit.
Billy Joel’s iconic collection up for auction
Now, on the occasion of the first edition of Retromobile New Yorkwhich will be held at the end of next November at the Javits CenterGooding Christie’s will offer more than 70 motorcycles belonging to the artist’s personal collection. Also, as a curious fact, all of them “they will be offered without a minimum reserve price”as confirmed by the auction house itself.
Prior to this event this exclusive selection will be exhibited at Christie’s Rockefeller Center from October 8 to 12. This includes motorcycles from various eras and styles from the most important brands in the history of the motorcycle sector, such as Ducati, BMW, Moto Guzzi, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, Triumph, Honda, Kawasaki and more. Among the most striking motorcycles in the collection is a 1978 Triumph T140 Bonneville for which it is expected to raise between 10 and 15 thousand dollars.
According to the organizers of the event, this “Bonni” was a gift from Madison Square Garden on the occasion of its 150th concert at the legendary sold-out venue. Before delivery, it was painted with an exclusive decoration for the occasion. Plus, it comes with a matching helmet that lists each concert and year he played at the venue.
In relation to this motorcycle, the auction house explains: “To date, Mr. Joel still holds the record for the most sold-out concerts at the venue.”. Along with the exclusive British frame we can find, among others, an iconic Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica from 1982. The model was marketed at the time by the Italian firm to commemorate Mike Hailwood’s victory on his return to the Isle of Man in 1978.
Jewelry of all kinds and different brands
Along with the latter we will also find an excellent Ducati 750 Sport from 1975 completely restored. Other protagonists of this “Billy Joel Motorcycle Collection” would be: 1983 Honda GL650 Silverwing Interstate, 1954 NSU Max, 1979 Yamaha SR500 Custom Cafe Racer, 2010 Moto Guzzi V7 Cafe Classic, 1999 Kawasaki W650 Custom by Deus Ex Machina or a unique 2006 Harley-Davidson FLHRI Road King with Liberty sidecar.
Following the announcement of the event, the president of Gooding Christie’s, David Gooding, stated: “We are truly honored to present the Billy Joel Motorcycle Collection, and what better place than New York City itself, a place so closely linked to Mr. Joel and his celebrated legacy as one of the most beloved musicians of all time.”
He concluded: “Billy Joel is one of the world’s biggest motorcycle fans and we are thrilled to showcase his valuable collection at Retromobile NY in November.” For his part, Billy Joel said: “I have always been attracted to motorcycles built by people who care about taking care of every detail. I have loved creating this collection. Now it is someone else’s turn to hit the road”. For more information and details you can consult the official Gooding Christie’s website.
