I agree with you if the engine does have ridiculous short life then the engine is wrong for the bikes proposed usage as a long travel adventure bike and then it becomes limited to a short distance travel bike crossover with a green laner. ( which i think it is anyway no matter what label we stick on it) What we do not yet know are if any changes have been made to the engine prior to production and how engine life is expected to pan out after those changes have been done, I am told that Mr Clews said that some top end changes had or were being made. As for the long skirt piston I have looked and can't find it anywhere but it is referred to in the g450x forums as well as a 480 big bore racing kit and not topical for this bike really. I simply do not know and think it unlikely that the design has been changed but know one knows at this time. If it was it does not mean it needs to vibrate or upset engine balance - I have fitted different pistons (bigger bore) in engines before - but they have weighed less than the originals - so sorting out balance / weight etc is for the piston manufacturer and would make a none starter of an argument I think.
I also wonder why everyone seems to think this or every bike on this forum has to be good and able to go round the world ? to be honest most modern bikes in my opinion are worse than useless for this task as they are too complex. More so I have always said that some peoples idea of an adventure may be very different to another persons maybe a trip to Scotland, to France or to Russia and beyond we are all different with different time, money and targets. So the bike we choose or not choose will meet our different needs. I have changed direction on the bikes i have always favoured - I now want a small lightweight bike with enough power to use on the roads around the UK, to travel a few thousand mile here abroad on back roads and light trails and maybe go around Iceland or into the fringes of Northern Russia, I do not need or require the bigger bikes i used to ride as I wont travel too far nor will i ever have a passenger as i always did before - so if I can sort out the life of the engine as being reasonable and affordable in return giving really good power then this bike may well fit my needs. Then again it may not I will know in a few weeks time.