07-07-2013, 11:32 AM
It's a relatively low-compression motor (9.5:1)...so I think regular 87 octane would be appropriate. With your FZ-8 being considerably higher at 12:1, I'd think 91-93 would be required. (When we're talking motorcycle gas tanks, the difference is rarely more than a few nickels total).
Anyway, a more direct answer to your question would be no - higher octane gas will not give you any more power. The reason modern engines have knock sensors is not necessarily to take advantage of higher octane, but to prevent damage in the event of lower octane being in the tank. Usually, the engine won't be able to run as designed, and that's where the power loss (or apparent "power gain") will come from.
Anyway, a more direct answer to your question would be no - higher octane gas will not give you any more power. The reason modern engines have knock sensors is not necessarily to take advantage of higher octane, but to prevent damage in the event of lower octane being in the tank. Usually, the engine won't be able to run as designed, and that's where the power loss (or apparent "power gain") will come from.