for my two pennyworth
After being off bikes for 10 or 12 years, I got a carbie 600ss
For the first 6 months it was fast enough, handled well, and let me remember or improve my skills. It was cheap enough to purchase (dont know about a youngsters insurance tho') and it was a duke. I was lucky enuff not to drop it, stationary or moving, but if I had, it wouldnt have been really a major prob, loadsa spares out there for them.
If Sgt Law wants a duke, why not start at entry level, it may not have the top end of an IL4 or even the acceleration, but a DUKE is a DUKE
rgds
mort