Madison Square Garden has given Billy Joel a ’78 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle as gift to mark Thursday night’s final show in his decade-long residency.1978 was the year he initially played at the venue.
Joel finished his record-breaking run, which has seen him play a sum of 150 shows at the widely popular venue, with a show that included recognitions from Jimmy Fallon, a gues spot by Axl Rose and audience members including Bill Clinton.
Notwithstanding, as a feature of the celebration, the venue gave Joel an ensured bike nut — a special machine.
The bicycle is uniquely painted with piano keys, his signature and the MSG logo on the fuel tank, and it comes with a protective cap painted with each date he’s played there.
Interestingly, the bicycle even made an appearance during the last show, when a camera streaked it up on the big screen while the Piano Man performed “You May Be Right.”
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Joel owns many bicycles, some of which are displayed at his motorcycle shop, 20th Century Cycles, in Oyster Bay, New York. He also loves European bikes.
Joel recorded a demo for a tune called “Motorcycle Song” in 1982. That very year, he crushed his thumb and dislocated his wrist when a driver took out before him at a red light while he was riding his bicycle on Long Island.
