The ONLY argument I have ever heard for Linked Brakes is that it is safer for inexperienced riders.
Why would an inexperienced rider ride a 1400cc tourer? The first mistake they make (and we all make mistakes) and it's time to replace $1000s of plastic.
Personally I have tried the BMW, Honda and Kawasaki variants and the BMW is the least intrusive (rear brake pedal only activates the rear brake) but by far I prefer independent brakes. Having ridden both I would rather buy a used 2008/2009 than a new 2010- and almost all of that is because of the linked brakes.
I am sure they are safe but they don't mesh with how I want to ride. Yes I could learn a new way of riding but I also ride a 1989 C10 and learning linked brakes will one day result in me binning the C10. I've already had to upgrade the C10 brakes as compared to the C14 they were F****** SCARY, even though I'd quite happily ridden with them for well over 14 years
. ABS I can understand and all of the rest of the upgrades since 1985 when the C10 was designed make sense from one viewpoint or another, but linked brakes just seem to be there for the hell of it, or maybe so they could justify the price hike vs the 2009 model.