Billy Joel to Shut Motorcycle Shop

Billy Joel's beloved Long Island motorcycle shop is closing down after nearly 15 years of offering fans a free peek at his personal collection of dozens of bikes. The music icon will be shuttering 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay, New York, in late September and auctioning off his collection later this year because of a brain disorder he has been diagnosed with, according to a spokesperson, Claire Mercuri. 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, the AP reports.

"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." Joel said he also wanted to bring foot traffic and business to downtown Oyster Bay, where part of the street that includes 20th Century Cycles was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023. The motorcycles that were in the shop have already been moved out. But it has been open on recent weekends selling new, used, and vintage motorcycle parts that were still in stock.

The shop was home to Joel's collection of more than 75 bikes dating to the 1940s and including Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians, and BMWs. "I think everybody in Oyster Bay would agree that it's a big loss," said Ted Bahr, who owns a vintage rock poster gallery next to 20th Century Cycles. "Billy's place is visited on weekends by dozens and dozens of people," he added, calling the shop "a real destination." 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 singer, 76, announced that he has canceled all scheduled concerts. A date for the auction of his collection has not been set.