Although, stopping to look up torque specs and grab a torque wrench can be a pain in the rear, it can save you money in the long run. Think about all the nuts and bolts you’ve stripped by over tightening. Or what about the sketchiness of under tightening sprocket bolts or axle nuts. A good rule of thumb, always use a torque wrench on all engine related matters or mechanically functioning bolts.

Manufactures finely tune their bikes to specific torque values. With that being said, a Beta might have different torque specs than a Sherco. Always refer to the owner’s manual. Beta USA also has the torque specs on their website under the support page. It is also on our website under tech tips. Different parts of the bike might require a specific pattern to tighten each bolt, such as cylinder and head. Which is another reason to check out your manual.

Sometimes, a torque wrench might not be available. That means, you need to be comfortable with hand tools… not power tools. You should be able to feel how tight the nut or bolt is as you tighten it down. A 2-inch cheater bar should not be used to tighten a small bolt. Use the proper size tools for the job, it is not a go big or go home game. A ¼ inch ratchet will get the job done. Don’t crank it down as tight as possible to the point of almost stripping because realistically 14 NM is not a lot on a rear brake rotor.

Remember, use Loctite on anything that should not come apart on its own or never come apart but do not forget about anti-seize on everything else to help prevent stuck bolts and protect against corrosion. Get to torquing!