Personally, I think either is a bit much for a first streetbike. Your dirt bike experience will help tremendously, I'm sure, but there's still a lot of difference. A more powerful bike is less forgiving about some of that learning process. There's the token disclaimer.
I wouldn't flinch at the extra cost between the two bikes. It really is all-new. New frame offers more rigidity. A motor built from the ground up for this bike, not one taken from another bike and tweaked, offers major gains. Better suspension all around. Essentially, everything is as good or better, and in many cases substantially better. It's a fantastic bike.
I'm biased in owning the new model, but I did a ton of research beforehand. I keep hoping Kawasaki will sell the crap out of the new model because they put some soul into it. They gave a genuine effort towards making a bike that specifically excels at being a standard/naked/etc, where the Japanese manufacturers usually are offering (in the US) a parts bin special with last-generation components.
I got my 2010 out the door for just under 10K and I'd do it again. Questioning the value at two grand less is crazy.
I wouldn't flinch at the extra cost between the two bikes. It really is all-new. New frame offers more rigidity. A motor built from the ground up for this bike, not one taken from another bike and tweaked, offers major gains. Better suspension all around. Essentially, everything is as good or better, and in many cases substantially better. It's a fantastic bike.
I'm biased in owning the new model, but I did a ton of research beforehand. I keep hoping Kawasaki will sell the crap out of the new model because they put some soul into it. They gave a genuine effort towards making a bike that specifically excels at being a standard/naked/etc, where the Japanese manufacturers usually are offering (in the US) a parts bin special with last-generation components.
I got my 2010 out the door for just under 10K and I'd do it again. Questioning the value at two grand less is crazy.
