I have looked at the Nova in person and the fit and finish is OK but not amazing. ...
...But maybe I'd fall into the "it's not hard to change the belt position" camp.
David, I apologize for not responding to your inquiry sooner, but we're on a road trip.
I have been turning on a Nova 1624-II for 4 years. If you have any specific questions about the machine or my experience with it I'd be happy to respond; drop me a personal message (i.e. conversation). (I also have their DVR drill press).
Quick comments.
I've heard (here) that the 1624 will be, or has been discontinued, so maybe there's some deals to be had.
I don't know the replacement.
The 1624 has served me well for the type of turning that I do.
The legs are lighter weight than the larger lathes. I have turned a couple of unbalanced pieces but this type of work is not the 1624's strong suit. If you are bench mounting then you can make the base as heavy as you like.
The fit & finish are good in the functional surfaces. Beyond that it's a little rough.
It took only 3 months of use before I bought the DVR upgrade (best money I ever spent on this hobby). I doubt you are going to find yourself in the "belt change club". If you can't afford to get a variable speed lathe now, it might be a good idea to save up some more. Your Rikon is still a good lathe.
With either DVR or VFD you will be keeping the belt drive so you can still change pulleys, if you were so inclined.
I'm on a middle pulley and the available speed range is 50 to 3000 RPM. I sand at 100-150 RPM.
There is no ramp up time to speak of.
You're right, electronic braking tends to unscrew the chuck (drill press, too).
I love the rotating head stock and the speed presets.
Rotated to 22.5* the banjo will still reach, but beyond that you'll want the outrigger. But that and the other accessories/upgrades have become hard to find. (The Coronet's banjo extension might work?)
I don't regret buying the 1624 at the time that I did. It was a good choice for me. But if I was replacing my workshop I'd be looking at the Nebula and Galaxi.