Thirty-Seven Dead by July: Minnesota's Motorcycle Deaths and the Training Gap
Minnesota reported 37 motorcycle deaths by mid-year 2026, compared to 24 the same period last year – projected to finish around 90 total, the highest since the late 1980s (KEYC, July 10, 2026; https://www.keyc.com/2026/07/10/experts-urge-caution-roadways-motorcycle-deaths-surge-minnesota/ ). That is not a statistical blip. That is 13 more riders dead in six months. The riders who are dying now – especially the ones coming back after a gap, or the ones who took a weekend basic course and bought a liter bike – do not understand that the margin is gone. The road does not care that you passed a parking-lot skills test. Distracted driving is worse. Road surfaces are worse after temperature swings and deferred maintenance. Cagers are looking at their phones, not their mirrors. And riders are overconfident because they do not know what they do not know. A jump from 24 to 37 mid-year deaths is not weather and it is not bad luck. It is systemic. New riders buy powerful bikes they cannot handle....