The primary purpose was to move weight closer to the CENTER of the bike. A "side benefit" (pun fully intended. I crack myself up) is the side to side balance and an improvement there. Stick a 5 lb weight under your rear fender toward the back of the bike to get the opposite affect. All done for the same reason that your foot pegs are close to the center. AF, you wont need thousands of dollars to prove whether taking your pipe off and riding without it will lower the center of gravity or not. Helpful items to do that will be a set of scales, a pencil and for one way of doing it a plumbbob will make things easier. You can toss all that if you have a rail and a friend who will help you lift.
Plus I have no issues with my bikes center or wait. ( CR500af).. I just think this thread is a good topic to follow. Interesting.
. Along with your attitude that weight placement was some kind of hokuspokus.