What does normal feel like? (Scott)

I bought my PX125 unseen off eBay, on a complete whim. Sometimes I push my luck, but it's lovely when it pays off. When I saw little X159XAL for the first time, I was stoked. However the drive up to pick it up I was actually feeling sick with worry.

When I pressed the 'make an offer' button, I realised I had no idea on what a PX should feel like, and how to tell if it was sorted or not. I was lucky, by the condition of the scooter I knew that the silver beast had a very pampered 4300 miles in the last 11 years. My first ride was very interesting, my knowledge gathered from YouTube videos like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkSVMU4D_sw (Joanie calls it scooter porn) and talking to Tim. The second-hand knowledge gathered obviously did the trick and my first ride was fun, no wheelies, and not many bunny hops. I still only know what my Vespa feels like, and is it right? I have limited mechanical skills, and we are going on a 1000 mile trip on strict transport deadlines. Hence my concern.

To add to my worries, the scooter has had some modifications too, the eBay description was:

"PX125 very low mileage, fitted with Malossi 166 kit, with T5 carb and uprated clutch and gearing changed for cruising, fitted and tuned by Diablo moto in Nuneaton, last year, performance stainless Scorpion exhaust, michelin S1 tyres (new) and 2 used VERY good tyres for spares ( not on rims), comes with spare wheel and working electric start., Small dent on front mudguard"

So, what does the Malossi do? What are it's drawbacks? (I haven't broken 60mpg yet, but it has amazing pickup at high revs, even with a 100kg of downforce from the saddle), the Scorpion exhaust, is it any good (On a PX150 gives an 8% power increase on a dyno, but at what cost? Low mpg again?) It sounds loud, and pops and crackles like a dirt-track racer when engine braking (sounds awesome IMHO), but I had to ask Tim when he was in London if it was as loud as his, which has a 200cc lump, and he was unsure, until he got home and did the same revving I did. MIne was louder. Uprated clutch? But the bite is quite soft, this feels way different to the CBT bike I had, and will it last 1000 miles dragging me about? Especially after some fists-of-ham riding round central London for the past 600 miles. T5 Carb? It's an old carb off a different engine, uprated how? The T5 was a standard 125cc scoot but more powerful than a normal PX. Gearing changed for cruising? No idea what this means, it seems to like 40-45-odd mph. What does a normal PX gear box feel like? 

So many questions, I had planned to do the maintenance and servicing myself on the beast, but I am very glad that I got it serviced a couple of weeks ago, at least I know that someone who has touched multiple PXs had had a crack at it. I still worry, all those panicky clutch slips in London traffic when I forget to move it down to first at the lights, and stall it. The clunky gearbox, the effort it takes to change gear, and many other things.

I think it is just me being a nervous Nellie, all the modifications were done professionally, the previous owner was an enthusiast,  and it has given me great performance so far, give or take the poor fuel economy. A lot of the websites reckon 80mpg, but nowhere near that for me. There is always a pay off with any form of performance modifications, and then with a porky bluff fronted rider, in stop-start awful traffic to the West End, and for the extra acceleration, it's probably a fine pay off. I rode next to a stock PX125 last week, and it was considerably quieter, but the noise adds character I think, and I especially like the way the scooter takes off when it passes half throttle, it's awesome.

I am getting nervous about the trip, and just fretting away. It never hurts to be wary of these things. When I'm at a bike stand with another PX in it, I look around furtively then sneak over to it and squeeze their clutch and brake levers, just to check they are like mine. And they feel similar. I just feel like a weirdo when I do it!

The latest update on equipment. My helmet (a Box BX1) always fogs up, which means riding with the visor cracked open, which is fine around London, in sub 30 minute journeys, but 6 hours on the trot may get tiresome, so Tony from Harry Nash recommended an Oxford Anti Fog liner for the visor, which works well, but the application was a pain, and the sides didn't stick properly. However being able to exhale makes for much better riding. I give it 6.5/10.