Uhh, well even though your friend has a shop I dont think you are gonna find a decent bike for 1500. Unless it's a salvage or something. If you don't have a huge budget, Id go with the rims b/c the bike is gonna cost you extra insurance, maitenance...
you can get a ninja 600 (like a real early 90's) for like a grand insurance well for my 94 600 its 500 a year with progressive
all i'll say is if you look hard enoguh you can find cheap bikes that rn;t salvaged.. and insurance isn't bad and being able to out accelerate most everything on the street is a rush