Billy Joel's 70-plus vintage motorcycles go to auction, no reserve

Billy Joel is selling a collection of more than 70 vintage motorcycles. Gooding Christie's will auction the bikes in November at its inaugural Retromobile New York sale, and every one is offered without reserve, so each will sell to the highest bidder whatever the price.

Proceeds will go to the Joel Foundation, a non-profit that gives grants and support to organizations bringing music to students and communities. Joel, a six-time Grammy winner and one of Long Island's best-loved cultural figures, said he has loved building the collection and that it is now someone else's turn.

His statement reads: "I've always been drawn to bikes built by people who cared about getting every detail right." He added: "Now it's someone else's turn to hit the road." The collection spans Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Triumph, Yamaha and other makers.

The bikes with the highest estimates

The most valuable bike named so far is a restored yellow and black 1975 Ducati 750 Sport. It is widely considered one of the most beautiful motorcycles of all time, and the auction house expects a gavel price between $25,000 and $35,000.

A 1982 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood replica is also in the sale. It looks identical to the red and green superbike that Hailwood rode to victory at the 1978 Isle of Man, and it carries a presale estimate of $15,000 to $25,000.

The Triumph with the best story is a sparkling blue 1978 T140 Bonneville. Madison Square Garden gave it to Joel to mark his 150th sold-out show at the arena, and it comes with a matching helmet.

The paint is custom: piano keys run across the fuel tank, and the air box carries special "Billy Joel 150" badging. The estimate is $10,000 to $15,000, the lowest of the three bikes the auction house has singled out.

Where and when the sale takes place

The motorcycles will cross the block as part of the Retromobile New York classic car show, held at Manhattan's Javits Center from Nov. 19 to 22. Gooding Christie's is running the show's first sale of this kind.

The estimates above are the only prices published for now. Estimates for the remaining bikes, and the day within the four-day show on which the motorcycles sell, were not part of the announcement.

Celebrity provenance has proved a strong draw at charity sales. We reported that Rolex's Four Seasons Daytona collection sold for $49.4 million at a charity sale, though that is a far larger pool of money than the estimates on these bikes.

Musicians' possessions can climb high when collectors compete for them. Our list of the 14 most expensive guitars ever sold at auction shows how far, and Joel's bikes arrive with the same kind of name attached.

Classic machinery is a market we follow closely. In our guide to the best classic cars for collectors we looked at older vehicles that hold value, and the bikes here, with their restoration and race links, follow similar logic.

We also reported on the 1967 AAR Eagle Mk I, Dan Gurney's own Formula 1 winner, which is up for auction. A no-reserve motorcycle sale carries less risk for bidders than a single headline car.

Anyone planning to ride whatever they buy will need kit as well. We rounded up outstanding men's motorcycle jackets, a useful starting point for new owners of a 1970s Ducati or Bonneville.

The next date is the show itself, which opens Nov. 19. Gooding Christie's is expected to publish the full list of bikes to be offered ahead of the sale.