Just happened on this thread again and wondered whether there was some more Rotax experience out there by now?
There seems to be a growing anti-Jabiru sentiment here in NZ of late, and conversely a seemly equivalently strong pro-Rotax feeling, especially now that have that new 912iS version.
Finally got my microlight license and am now doing some transition training from the 'real' microlights (X-Air / Bantam B22) into a Zenith CH601 at a local club (yeah, I know, but it is available and cheap...-ish to fly).
Still have the Sierra in mind for a future build, or the Vans RV-12, which flies *beautifully*, but more expensive I think. With a family wedding in/around Sydney in 2016 I'm hoping to get to Taree and catch up with Garry and get a flight to enable me to make a decision. After that, it will be a question of how cheap I can get started! It's what I liked about the Vans RV-8 I was building; I could do it in more easily digestible chunks!
Blue skies all :-)