Billy Joel Set To End A 15-Year Passion Amid Brain Disorder Battle

Billy Joel is letting a huge part of his life go!

The musician is set to close the curtains on his bike shop in Oyster Bay to focus on his health amid his ongoing health issues, which will also see him step away from performing.

Billy Joel was diagnosed with a neurological disorder back in May, which has reportedly affected his hearing, vision, and balance for a while now.

The musician will activate the shutdown button on his Long Island motorcycle shop towards the end of September. An auction for his highly coveted bike collection will be held as the year wraps up.

Joel's shop began operations in 2010, quickly rising to the occasion as one of the most frequently visited spots for motorcycle lovers and tourists. 

In a 2013 interview, Joel explained that he opened the shop to promote the older styled locomotive aesthetic, ranging from the 1930s to the 1960s.

"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 bikes looked like. Because it's starting to be a lost aesthetic," he explained.

According to The Daily Mail, he also opened the establishment to boost the local economy in Oyster Bay, where he grew up just miles away in Hicksville.

Visitors have caught glimpses of his bike collection, including Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Indian, BMW, and Triumph.

The musician's store also served as a spot for motorcycle owners to fix, restore, and customize their bikes. Joel also owns a very rare 1952 Vincent Rapide, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars at any auction.

His presence in the Oyster Bay area has left significant footprints, especially when the town renamed the 20th Century Cycles part of the street after him in 2023. Before his illness, Joel was known as a religious rider who used his motorcycle for a good cause by participating in charity events.

He has supported important causes like honoring the 9/11 first responders and breast cancer research programs. His passion also comes with downsides, including an accident in 1982 where a car ran a red light and rammed into his bike, a dislocated wrist, and a bad thumb.

The musician's team canceled 17 of his scheduled concerts for the North American and England leg of his tour after his medical condition worsened. As shared by The Blast, his team announced on May 23, after his February performance at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Joel's camp shared that performing at the shows had placed great physical demands on the singer and, in turn, led to greater complications with his hearing and balance.

The team noted that the doctor had put the artist on "specific physical therapy" with advice to stay away from rigorous performance while he recovered.

Medscape describes the legendary musician's condition, known as Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, as a clinical symptom complex caused by the build-up of cerebrospinal fluid. The health condition includes symptoms of abnormal gait, urinary incontinence, and possibly reversible dementia.

Joel hopped on Bill Maher's podcast to give an update on his illness and what has been the bane of his lifestyle since the diagnosis. The Blast noted that the musician affirmed that his balance is the worst hit in the entire situation.

He compared his balance to walking on a boat, although every other aspect of his life feels perfectly normal. Although he is currently undergoing treatment, Joel shared that at the time that medical investigations had not ascertained the real cause of his illness, but he may have an idea of the root cause.

He predicted that it is highly likely his previous lifestyle as a heavy drinker may be the reason for his current reality. Meanwhile, in his HBO documentary, "Billy Joel: And So It Goes," the musician explained that alcohol was not the reason behind his car crashes in the early 2000s.

"There's this rumor that I have all these DUIs. That never happened. But people keep repeating the myth. 'Oh, he's got so many DUIs.' I never had a DUI. So f-ck you," he said.

Joel’s wife, Alexis, came online in May, a few days after her husband’s diagnosis became public knowledge, to update fans about the state of his health and the progress made.

Alexis promised the public that things were still under control as regards his diagnosis, as she shared pictures of her husband and herself posing with their two daughters.

She thanked the fans for their immense support, acknowledging how impactful the “wonderful care and swift diagnosis” has helped their case.

“Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world,” Alexis added, concluding her post with hopes for his quick recovery.

Alexis and Joel got married in a surprise ceremony in 2015 at his Oyster Bay estate in what was slated to be a July 4 party organized by the couple.

Billy Joel’s motorcycle shop certainly left behind a legacy to be remembered by all of Oyster Bay.