Actually...
The soft mount idea has been experimented with relentlessly and as even the slightest attempt to research will show, it's proponents are overlooking one small detail - that "rubber" mounted applications such as automobiles include mounts specifically designed for the movement such entails - whereas the china kit engines were most definitely not. There's a world of difference between the typical factory soft mount with it's steel sleeved bushings and multiple fasteners and the china kit's two direct mount bolts, not least of which would be the soft mount's method of having
separate and independent fasteners, usually involving two bolts to just the block and another one (or more) going to just the chassis - reducing or even completely eliminating the sheer load from the fasteners by relying on the mount itself to hold. In most cases if a automotive mount fails it's the "rubber" whereas if a soft-mounted china kit fails - it's the block and/or the fasteners. Soft mounting doesn't "eliminate" vibration, it isolates it - even amplifies it. Should that not be taken into consideration with specifically designed mounts, the fasteners will fail from the undue loading. Standard diagnostics really.
You jumped the gun a bit regarding Tom's post count reference - obviously post count
alone means little beyond verbosity, it's the
experience he referenced immediately thereafter within those posts that counts. While one doesn't always necessitate the other - you can usually make the assumption that a low post newbie with questionable advice may not be as experienced as another with not only obvious kit experience, but the years of forum contributions and the resultant observations of other's experimentation. Learning from mistakes is a valuable skill, even if they're not always your own mistakes and assumptions. Such is the value of research.
...and lastly, this "welding a sprocket to the hub" is perhaps an easy and quick fix - but it too has some drawbacks, it's very "permanence" being actually one of the biggest. Sort term ease & instant gratification is attractive, but it's often paid for in the long run, sprocket & hub wear, even normally simple gearing changes have now become potentially costly replacement instead of simple & cheap maintenance.
2door is a staff member and as such would be lax in his duties by letting such dubious advice go unchallenged as our absolute priority is the assistance, even the well-being of our memberbase. While generally speaking we subscribe to a "to each their own" philosophy regarding your own personal builds and tastes save the occasional suggestion - should someone choose to advise
others with questionable "solutions" or even those proven wrong time and time again, it's the very least we can do to step in to help protect those that may not have the practical experience to question such themselves. As such, the "slack" you requested would be actually a failing on our part should we comply... save some reservation regarding tone, we try to constrain ourselves to stating simple facts instead of personal character judgments of course.
