You are wrong about reversing the pistons. It has nothing to do with friction and everything to do with getting the rod to lean into the direction of crank rotation sooner in the power stroke.
On some engines this particular trick will really wake up off-idle performance. It has the same exact effect as using a SHORTER connecting rod.
Any increase in noise is negligible. Every single engine I have built for myself over the last 40 years..using stock pistons..has had them reversed in the bores. I have never had a single issue associated with doing this.