Welcome aboard, there's nothing wrong with starting on an SS.
My current bike is my first bike and it's a 750 SS, 3 seasons later I'm still around and kicking.
Regarding the fairings, you can always buy a full set of aftermarket fairings.
They're much cheaper than OEM and the quality has come a long way.
Hop on over to 600rr.net and hunt for whatever parts you need there.
Let me know if you need any other parts, I have some small miscellaneous stuff that I can bring a long with the sliders this weekend.
Good luck and all the best!