Billy Joel Closing Long Island Motorcycle Shop After Brain Disorder Diagnosis
Kai Montgomery here, and yes, I’m mildly annoyed that I have to explain the obvious to grown adults, but here we go: Billy Joel is shutting the doors on his beloved Long Island motorcycle shop after a medical diagnosis made the choice pretty much inevitable.
Look, I don’t want to be the bearer of sad news, but facts are facts. The piano man, now 76, announced in May that he was canceling upcoming concerts after being diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a neurological condition where fluid builds up in the brain and can affect memory, balance, thinking, and movement, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Claire Mercuri, Joel’s spokesperson, confirmed that because of this diagnosis Joel will close 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay in late September and will auction off his collection later this year.
If you need the background because you were too busy streaming top hits and ignoring local commerce: Joel opened 20th Century Cycles in late 2010 as a hands-on hangout for wrenching, restoring, and showing off his personal bike collection to the public at no charge. His aim, he said in a 2013 shop video, was to preserve a “lost aesthetic” of motorcycles from the 1930s through the 1960s and to help draw people into downtown Oyster Bay. The gesture worked — the strip where the shop sits even earned the honorary name Billy Joel Way in 2023, and locals treated the shop as a magnet for weekend crowds.
The store housed more than 75 bikes spanning decades and marques: Harleys, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians, and BMWs. Among the crown jewels was a 1952 Vincent Rapide, a classic that can fetch tens of thousands of dollars at auction. Neighbors felt the loss keenly. Ted Bahr, owner of a vintage rock poster gallery next door, described the shop as a weekend destination for bikers and tourists and called the impending closure “a big loss” for Oyster Bay.
Practical note: the motorcycles have already been hauled out of the shop, though the space has remained open on recent weekends to sell remaining new, used, and vintage parts. No auction date has been announced yet, so collectors and fans who want a piece of Joel’s stash are still waiting on specifics.
Joel’s relationship with motorcycles is long-standing and complicated, like most things involving celebrities and loud machinery. In 1982, he was struck by a car while riding on Long Island and suffered injuries that included a damaged left thumb and a dislocated right wrist, requiring about a month in the hospital. He also used riding to support causes over the years, joining benefit rides for 9/11 first responders and breast cancer charities. More recently, Joel has been living part-time in South Florida while keeping a Long Island home; his Centre Island property sits on the market for $29.9 million.
This closure is not a flashy rumor; it’s tied directly to Joel’s health and publicly confirmed by his team. The auction of his bikes seems likely to draw attention from collectors who prize midcentury machines, though the emotional value for Oyster Bay is harder to quantify. The shop’s role as a free, low-key cultural touchstone for fans and locals has been quietly significant — community members will miss the ritual of weekend gawkers peering into the windows to soak up a bit of rock-star Americana.
So there you have it. Billy Joel, facing Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, is stepping back from the shop he used to tinker in and share with the public. The bikes are out, the sale is pending, and Oyster Bay is losing a little of its weekend sparkle.
Watch for the auction date and any updates from Joel’s spokespeople if you want to see which vintage beauties make the market and which ones become museum pieces or private treasures. And, yes, feel free to mourn the aesthetic — I already did it for you.
Final wry thought: celebrities give a lot back, then life reminds them they’re only human. What to watch next: who buys the bikes, and whether Billy’s music — and memory of his hometown goodwill — keeps rolling.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Cleveland Clinic, Bill Maher Club Random podcast (public interview), statements from Claire Mercuri
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
