Workshop reference
General torque ranges for motorcycle fasteners by thread size and by job, with the practices that decide whether the figure on your wrench matches the clamping load on the bolt. Updated 2026-09-01.
Read this first. These are general engineering ranges, not factory figures for your specific bike. Use them to plan a job, to buy the right wrench and to sanity-check a number you have been given. Before final tightening, confirm the figure in the service manual for your model and year — that number always wins.
Property-class 8.8 steel fasteners, clean and dry threads. The alloy column applies when the bolt threads into an aluminium casting.
| Thread | Tool size | Into steel | Into alloy | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M5 | 4 mm hex / 8 mm | 5–7 Nm | 4–5 Nm | Fairing bosses, instrument brackets, small covers |
| M6 | 5 mm hex / 10 mm | 9–12 Nm | 7–10 Nm | Engine covers, sprocket cover, heat shields, light brackets |
| M8 | 6 mm hex / 12–13 mm | 22–26 Nm | 18–22 Nm | Caliper mounts, disc bolts, footpeg hangers, exhaust hangers |
| M10 | 8 mm hex / 14–17 mm | 40–50 Nm | 32–40 Nm | Fork clamp bolts, rear sprocket nuts, shock mounts, engine mounts |
| M12 | 10 mm hex / 19 mm | 75–90 Nm | 60–72 Nm | Front axle, front sprocket nut, swingarm pivot bolts |
| M14 | 22 mm | 115–135 Nm | 95–110 Nm | Rear axle nut on mid-size bikes, some swingarm pivots |
| M16 | 24 mm | 170–200 Nm | 140–165 Nm | Rear axle nut on large bikes, steering-stem nut on some models |
0.8 h flat-rate job, easy to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Caliper mounting bolts | 22–30 Nm | Clean thread-lock residue off and re-apply; these bolts see vibration and heat. |
| Pad retaining pin | 15–18 Nm | Snug only — the pin is a locating part, not a clamping one. |
| Brake disc bolts | 20–25 Nm | Tighten in a star pattern with fresh thread-lock if the disc came off. |
| Caliper bleed nipple | 6–8 Nm | Alloy thread; overtightening rounds the nipple or cracks the boss. |
1.5 h flat-rate job, moderate to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Front sprocket nut or bolts | 80–115 Nm | Highest torque in the job. Hold the rear brake on with the bike in gear, and stake or thread-lock as the manual specifies. |
| Rear sprocket nuts | 35–50 Nm | Tighten in a criss-cross pattern with fresh thread-lock. |
| Rear axle nut | 85–110 Nm | Mid-size bikes sit near the bottom of this range, litre and touring bikes near the top. |
| Chain adjuster lock nuts | 20–27 Nm | Set slack first, then lock both sides at equal marks and re-check alignment. |
1 h flat-rate job, advanced to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Front axle bolt or nut | 55–90 Nm | Torque the axle before the fork-leg pinch bolts so the fork can align itself. |
| Front axle pinch bolts | 20–25 Nm | Bounce the front suspension a few times before final tightening. |
| Rear axle nut | 85–110 Nm | Check chain slack again after the axle is torqued. |
| Valve stem cap and core | Hand tight | Never use a tool on the core beyond the valve tool's own stop. |
0.7 h flat-rate job, easy to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sump drain plug | 20–30 Nm | Always with a new crush washer. Alloy sumps strip easily above this figure. |
| Spin-on oil filter | 12–20 Nm | Oil the gasket first, then roughly three quarters of a turn past contact. |
| Cartridge filter cover bolts | 9–12 Nm | Tighten evenly across all bolts; a cocked cover weeps oil. |
| Oil level inspection bolt | 8–12 Nm | Small M6 into alloy — snug, not tight. |
2.5 h flat-rate job, advanced to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Top yoke clamp bolts | 20–25 Nm | Set fork height first, then torque the top yoke last. |
| Bottom yoke clamp bolts | 20–27 Nm | Alternate between bolts in two passes so the leg is not pinched off-square. |
| Fork top cap | 20–30 Nm | Cracking it loose while the leg is still clamped in the yoke saves a fight. |
| Damper rod bolt in the fork bottom | 18–25 Nm | Needs thread-lock; it backs out under damping loads if left dry. |
1 h flat-rate job, moderate to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-pipe clamp bolt | 12–20 Nm | Fit a fresh gasket first, then tighten only once the can is aligned. |
| Silencer hanger bolt | 22–30 Nm | M8 into a steel bracket; leave it loose until the alignment is set. |
| Header-to-head nuts | 9–12 Nm | Only if the header comes off. Tighten evenly in two passes on a cold engine. |
| Heat shield screws | 5–7 Nm | M5 fasteners into thin brackets — very easy to snap. |
0.5 h flat-rate job, easy to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Battery terminal screws | 4–6 Nm | Lead terminals deform above this. Positive on first, negative off first. |
| Battery hold-down strap | 5–8 Nm | Firm enough that the battery cannot move; not enough to bow the case. |
| Earth strap to frame or engine | 9–12 Nm | Clean bare metal at the contact face or you will chase a phantom electrical fault. |
3 h flat-rate job, moderate to do at home.
| Fastener | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fairing bolts into well-nuts | 3–5 Nm | The lowest torque on the bike. Hand tools only, no impact driver. |
| Fairing bracket to frame | 9–12 Nm | M6 into steel; this is what actually carries the panel loads. |
| Screen bolts | 3–4 Nm | Always with the rubber washer fitted, or the screen cracks around the hole. |
| Mirror stems | 20–25 Nm | Set the mirror angle first, then lock the base nut. |
No. They are the general ranges published across mainstream motorcycle service data for each fastener class, useful for planning and for sanity-checking a figure. The exact number for your model and year is in its service manual, and that figure always wins.
For low-torque plastics and covers, hand tools and feel are workable. For anything safety-critical — axles, caliper mounts, sprocket nuts, yoke clamps — you need a calibrated wrench. A basic 1/2 inch click wrench costs less than one shop visit.
Aluminium threads yield at a much lower load than steel. The same M8 bolt that takes 25 Nm into a steel bracket will pull the thread out of a soft engine casting well below 30 Nm.
No. Use medium-strength thread-lock where the manual specifies it — sprocket bolts, disc bolts, damper rod bolts. On fasteners with a lock washer, nyloc nut or staking, adding locker just makes future removal harder.