Debate Brewing Over Proposal to Increase ATV Weight Limit in Maine

As an avid ATV rider, I take note when proposed legislation regarding off road vehicles makes its way through the Maine legislature. Well, it appears as though Maine lawmakers are considering a proposal that would raise the legal weight limit for ATVs in Maine, sparking debate among trail groups, riders, and landowners.

Right now, the maximum allowed weight for an ATV in the state is 2,000 pounds. Under the new bill, that limit would increase to 2,950 pounds to account for the growing size of newer machines, especially side by sides, WGME explained.

Supporters say ATV manufacturers have been producing larger and heavier models in recent years, leaving some riders unable to legally register their machines in Maine.

“With manufacturers, the machines have gotten bigger, so now we have a dilemma of those bigger machines not being able to register in the state,” said Jenny Little, president of the Topsham Trailriders Club.

Little worries that allowing heavier vehicles could put strain on Maine’s trail system and potentially lead to land closures. She pointed out that roughly 6,400 miles of ATV trails exist across the state and that about 94 percent of them are located on private land.

“I’m not saying they will all shut down, but some will,” she said.

Concerns about larger ATVs are not new. In 2019, a state task force was formed to study issues related to the growing number of ATV riders. That group recommended weight restrictions, which led to the oversized ATV law that took effect in 2021.

Others argue that the industry has continued to evolve since then.

“Industry is changing from 2019 to now. There are a lot of different changes from the side by side manufacturers,” said John Raymond, public affairs officer for ATV Maine, who supports raising the limit.

Raymond says increasing the weight cap would give landowners more flexibility to decide whether to allow larger machines on their property. He also emphasized the important role landowners play in keeping trails open.

“Without the landowners, most of these trails wouldn’t be open,” he said.

WGME reported that supporters also say the change could help boost local economies by keeping riders from taking their business to other states where larger ATVs are allowed.

“If people with these larger machines cannot ride in Maine, they are going to go somewhere else, and we are going to lose that economic activity,” Raymond said.

The bill is currently under review by the Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee.