That’s an interesting question. Of course, there is one big difference between motorcycles and kayaks: With a motorcycle, you can trade up to a bigger, better, more powerful engine. With a kayak, the “engine” stays the same; you provide the paddle-power, and that will be a determining factor of the boat’s eventual performance.
In any event, more advanced kayaks usually differ from entry-level models in two areas. One is stability. Beginner kayaks tend to have more of what is called primary stability, which means they’re somewhat difficult to tip from dead level. That makes them feel more stable for newbies. But that comes with a price聴diminshed secondary stability, namely the effect that keeps the boat from rolling as it begins to tip. A boat with lots of secondary stability will likely feel “twitchy” to a newcomer, a setup usually preferred by higher-skilled boaters. Why? Because in choppy water, a more “stable” boat will try to stay perpendicular to the chop, making it actually feel tippier than a boat with less secondary stability, which will more readily resist the waves’ action. Make sense?
Anyway, my advice is this: Rent some boats. Most kayak rental places have several models and styles of boats from which you can choose. Talk to the person in charge and have them tell you which boats they regard as “beginner” or “intermediate” vessels. Go out in the beginner boat to get the hang of it聴take a lesson, too聴then try the more advanced boats. You’ll soon get a feel for what you prefer. You’ll also discover which boat fits you best, a key consideration when buying a kayak. That’s because you sit on a canoe, but you “put on” a kayak. So fit matters.