1600 or 1700 ??

I'm thinking of getting a Nomad. I'm not sure I would like changing the belt on the 1700 every 10 months(50K miles). Is the belt drive really that much nicer than a shaft to warrant the frequent changes and the chance of a roadside breakdown due to a rock finding it's way between the belt and gear? I've seen several Harleys broke down due to a rock tearing the belt up. My wife has a 750 Vulcan and I haven't noticed any annoying slop in the shaft drive unlike the slop on my Goldwing (Which is noticeable but not really annoying).Is it true they changed the cooling system on the 1700 to the same as the 2000cc where it cools only the heads and not the cylinders? I don't understand why they wouldn't want to cool the cylinders as this is the major warp/wear point of a air cooled engine. I ride a average of 60K miles a year so longevity & low maintenance are major factors for me. Help me decide.... Should I find a nice used 1600 or buy a new 1700?