I agree that the poor reputation of the Cirrus was greatly improved by much more robust pilot training - any aircraft will be more safe flown by a well trained and mentored pilot. Some more advance aircraft, and aircraft which promote their safety features interest newer pilots with the image of making flying more safe. It is the well trained pilot who makes flying safe, rather than the plane itself. A plane in poor condition can certainly make flying more dangerous, so have a more simple plane, which is more easy to maintain well.
Non certified aircraft can be great, but remember, they're non certified for a reason - they have not been shown to meet the design requirements which are the standard for a "safe" plane. That in no way means that those aircraft are not entirely safe, nor cannot meet those standards, just that they have not been shown to meet. So you may have a learning curve, and you may have an aircraft which differs from the "safe" plane you trained in. In some cases, that difference could be really great, but you, as the pilot of the non certified aircraft, are responsible for managing those differences safely - might require more skill (which is always a good thing!).