Billy Joel Health Update: Can’t Drive or Perform

Billy Joel shared a candid billy joel health update in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, revealing that he is currently barred from driving and performing as he recovers from normal pressure hydrocephalus — and that he is auctioning off more than 70 of his beloved motorcycles.

The 77-year-old music icon said he must undergo “a series of tests” before doctors can determine whether he can return to the stage. “I’m not allowed to drive,” Joel told the outlet in the interview published Thursday, explaining that his balance condition has forced him to scale back the riding he once loved.

A Neurologist’s Stark Warning

Joel said his neurologist warned him that the sensory assault of a live show — extreme volume, bright lighting, stress, and physical exertion — hits his recovering brain like a concussion, which is why doctors want him off the stage for now.

The singer was diagnosed in 2025 with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a neurological condition caused by a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid that can impair balance, hearing, and memory. He canceled all of his scheduled performances and has since undergone surgery to implant a shunt in his brain to drain the excess fluid.

70 Motorcycles Head to Auction

With driving off the table, Joel is parting with the bulk of a motorcycle collection he amassed over decades of riding. More than 70 bikes will be offered without reserve by Gooding Christie’s during its inaugural Retromobile New York auction on November 20 and 21 at the Javits Center.

The collection includes a custom 1978 Triumph Bonneville T140 that Madison Square Garden gave Joel to commemorate his 150th sold-out show at the venue. He plans to direct the sale’s proceeds to the Joel Foundation.

Joel pushed back on the idea that he was ever a collector. “I was not a collector,” he said. “I was actually a rider.”

Source: Rolling Stone