Billy and his Beemers

[R65Guy]

Anyone read the Winter 2011 issue of BMW Motorcycle magazine (available at Barnes & Noble)?  They have a nice article about Billy Joel and his new personal museum of classic and custom motorcycles.  It is called 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay, NY.  Seems he has a real love for old European motorcycles and BMWs in particular.  He has over 60 motorcycles in his collection all plated and ready to ride.  He could own and ride pretty much anything he wanted.....  his daily rider?  A 1979 BMW R65.
http://bmwmcmag.com/magazine/current/
http://www.billyjoel.com/news/billy-joel-featured-bmw-motorcycle-magazine-cover-story

Enjoy!
Neal

[nhmaf]

Great links, and very interesting!
I*knew* there was a reason I bought quite a few of his records back in the day.

Thanks very much for sharing, Neal!

At the moment, I'm thinking of making the ride down to Sedalia this summer, but might end up doing it on the Kawasaki Concours (or possibly the R100 if I can get it to a level of reliability I am comfortable with) instead of the trusty little R65LS - I'm sure the R65 can do it, but I think Tennessee was about my long distance limit on it.. legs get too cramped on it when combined with 600 mile days.

[R65Guy]

Hey Mike, hope you and others can make it to Sedalia in July.  It is only 120 miles from home so I think I can make the trip.  Our local club changed the date of our rally (Mo State Rally) to the weekend before the national so folks coming early from long distances can gather and ride all the great roads in southern MO and northern AR.  The roads around Sedalia are only so-so but the rally grounds are superb!  My short legs get cramped on the R65 after a few hundred miles so I don't know how you do it.  Billy Joel said he is only 5' 7", I think that is why he loves his R65

Neal

[suecanada]

Looking forward to seeing you again Neal! Gee, as I get older all those old injuries seem to come to the fore and cause some sore knee problems on the bikes after, say, 4 hours. Then it's a race between what is sorest...the knee or my bottom!! Or sometimes my ears if the phones in the helmet aren't just right! Then there's the right wrist as LRB's throttle is not that easy. I have highway bars on the Bonnie attached to the engine guards but on LRB the cylinders are in the way and I'd burn up!! So just have to stretch to the rear onto the passenger pegs for a change of position.
If I really thought about it, I guess I'd have to agree with Derek..."wouldn't it be more comfortable taking the van"!!! :-/

[Barry]

It gets me in the knees too. A 79 R65 seems by some margin to have to lowest seat height of any contemporary airhead so no surprise it would suit 5`7" Billy Joel.  I wish the footrests could be lowered a little or the seat raised.

[Air4Life]

The shop/museum he operates in Oyster Bay NY has a facebook page and if you click on photo's you get a sense of what's going on.  

www.facebook.com/pages/20th-Century-Cycles/277906913488

Photos:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/20th-Century-Cycles/277906913488?sk=photos