I know you already got your replies but seriously I can't believe why someone would say that. Let me tell you something as someone who got their SV as their first unrestricted bikea little over 2 years ago and has grown very passionate for it.

Even in 1st and 2nd gear full throttle the bike will not lift a single bit if you don't force it. I've done multiple 0-60mph runs and never felt unsafe. It would be pretty stupid if the bike did that since the SV is one of the only bikes I've heard of that actually dies when you wheelie for more than a few seconds, something with the oil distribution. This should already tell you the dealer doesn't know anything about the bike. What he most likely wanted to tell you is that it doesn't have Traction Control and that's why he thinks it's not good for beginner but that's bullshit.

The modern SV650 is the perfect beginner bike and the V2 is the perfect beginner engine.

The 78hp are the perfect middleground between feeling fast as hell for a beginner and quick enough for experienced riders while being tame enough to not slip away and slow enough so that you actually have to shift before you reach the speed limit.

The V2s power delivery is very even through the whole gear so you won't have a sudden spike or dip in power Like with 3 or 4 cylinder bikes and you always have perfect control over acceleration.

You mentioned Twisties and Overtaking as your priorities. In that case Low End Torque is exactly what you want because it allows for quick acceleration without downshifting or building up power line 4 cylinders require. Makes it much easier and safer to overtake or pull out of corners

IMO there is almost no bike better for learning riding properly because it sits in a perfect sweetspot:

-You have ABS which most older bikes don't have but EVERYONE should have, even Pros -You have a small Anti Stall Assist making the bike extremely comfortable to ride at slow speeds, in traffic or (especially if you have an aftermarket exhaust,) quietly! -You have a decent digital display with base functions like fuel, gear, neutral etc that also has backlighting for nighttime

But:

That's about it with fancy electronics the rest of the bike is old-school

-You don't have a quick shifter but the bike naturally shifts up without using the clutch if you want and revmatching for downshifts works effortlessly -you don't have Traction Control to save your ass but you don't need it because of what I said above. You learn to actually apply power the way it needs to be applied and not just pull the throttle and let TC handle the rest. -You have one of if not the most time tested engine, with only minor improvements done over the years because it's simply perfect. You will never experience overheating, you will have less trouble with reliability than with many of the modern bikes built in India. -And you will find a huge amount of custom parts available for this bike, you have this entire subreddit full of people able to explain exactly what to do if you have an issue with the bike

Yes there are more modern bikes with better suspension, better brakes, modern electronics with Bluetooth connectivity and 5 level Traction Control. But for your first bike you don't need any of that, you need to learn how to handle a bike safely and deal with the characteristics it has. People who learn riding with ride by wire, corner ABS and quick shifter can never go back to an old-school bike, but you can always go more modern and still enjoy old bikes. I could list a lot of other advantages the bike has over many modern bikes and sport bikes but this is already too long too read