I'm largely in agreement with the OP, although price is really the determining factor for me. I learned on a '79 Suzuki GS650 with no second gear that was $100 bucks. It was the perfect starter bike. Even though it was a bit heavy, it was worth so little that I didn't worry at all about dropping it and didn't worry about crashing it (well, didn't worry about the bike in those cases).
If you're not worried about the bike, I think it's a little easier to get comfortable and to get into good habits. If you're paranoid about tipping over at a light (for instance), it makes it much harder to just get out there, ride your ride, and gain confidence.
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