Billy Joel closes LI bike shop; to auction bikes amid health issues

Billy Joel is closing his Long Island motorcycle shop, 20th Century Cycles, in September and plans to auction off the musician’s personal collection of bikes later this year after being diagnosed with a brain disorder that has affected his balance, vision and hearing. The singer, who has long used the Oyster Bay shop to maintain, restore and display his bikes free of charge, has effectively started winding down the operation as he focuses on his health.

The shop, which opened in 2010, has been a weekend destination for motorcycle enthusiasts and curious visitors alike. It housed more than 75 bikes dating back to the 1940s, including Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians and BMWs, with a prized 1952 Vincent Rapide among the collection. The space was also designed to boost foot traffic in downtown Oyster Bay, a waterfront community where part of the street was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023. In his own words from a later video, Joel described the store as a place to showcase an aesthetic he has long cherished, explaining that “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...