Billy Joel Has 1967 BSA Restored On "American Restoration"
The 1967 BSA Royal Star 650 has a special place in the heart of the Piano Man, Billy Joel — it was the first motorcycle he ever had. As time went on and Joel’s career blossomed, the love for motorcycles only grew. In fact, Joel even has his own motorcycle shop.
But when the opportunity came to purchase another BSA Royal Star 650 and relive his youth, Joel didn’t want just anyone to restore it. He took it to Rick Dale, star of the TV show “American Restoration” and an expert at bringing old relics back to life, be it vending machines to neon lights.
There was a lot of work needed to bring the bike back to life, and Dale even traveled to England to collect parts for the old British bike. As you can see from the video above, however, the hard work paid off as the result is stunning. “This is the best bike I have in the shop!” said Joel after seeing his new toy.
American History airs Tuesday nights at 10pm on the History Channel.
Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.
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