Check this out.  I need 20' to do a U-turn.

https://fb.watch/rZScKX30x6/

That's pretty wild, but for a real "the guy must be an alien from a place with different laws of physics" check out videos like this one of multi World Champion observed trials rider Toni Bau.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk0VBFgIqbM

I rode trials on a Bultaco 350, Montesa 348 and Kawasaki 250 but only at the novice level under the traditional "no stopping" rules, and what "regular" riders do today looks amazing.  But Bau takes that, maxes it out and then turns the dial to 11.  

Paul, as this video of Bou messing around on an Africa Twin shows, he doesn't even need a real trials bike to do a lot of stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPLJn3IygAg

I hear you on carbs, I don't like them and I am not sensitive enough to do a good job of tuning them.  Rod length, porting, engine building and all that kind of thing are interesting to me and there's a lot of material around that you can read to get a better idea of the how and why of them.  David Vizard has some very good books and a YT channel and I'd recommend him to you.

The Savage is so mild that I can fiddle with improving the power without violating my "no more race engines" vow.    While it is nice to know the rod length, I'm not going to be ordering a custom rod from Carrillo for a street bike project that will see minimal riding every year.  It sounds like the stock rod is plenty strong enough if the RPM is held to a reasonable maximum, and getting enough extra length in the rod to make a significant difference is probably not going to be cost effective, even for the typical "it is my bike project, who cares about the budget?" scenario.

cheers,
Michael

Whoa!  I didn't know Aunt Aileen could ride!  

Thanks , definitely a favorite video