Scooterotica

Great topic for anyone entering the 2 stroke world. I ran my t5 172 on 1% fully synth for too long by mistake. At the time I was adding 1% to the tank and expecting the autolube to add the other 2%. I got lazy and was in the habit of waiting for the oil level to appear in the sight glass, then I'd top up the oil tank. When, after an age the oil didn't reduce to the sight glass and I looked into the oil tank to see it still full I knew I'd messed up. The oil pump had stopped working. The scooter ran fine on the 1% for a few hundred miles but within 600 miles my oil seals had completely wore out with that sickening high tick over and smell of gearoil being burnt! On a t5 which is as modern a traditional scooter gets, 1% isn't enough.

Maybe one could add that at 4% oil then only 96% is fuel. If the bike is running a tad lean then dropping the oil to 3% means 97% is fuel.
Although nothing is ever simple.

I will be borrowing a S3 TV175 for my general running around and local commute

That's some friend! PS I run 2% without issue, but that's with a 150cc

He doesn't use it. It just sits in a shed. He is the original owner since new or rather has owned it since Early '70's. He may not have purchased it new so I cannot claim him to be the "original" owner.
I'll be conservative and use Shell VSX at 3% unless it smokes too much.

On the lifespan front. One doesn't get many "mates" along the way. He is on track to being "independent" if the project works out I also get a "retirement" job. Downside the job will be in Luton.