I think flywheel weights also help a bit with starting...the engine has more momentum. Will you get used to the bike without it...sure, I guess it's all relative to your skill, the conditions, etc. You may notice less of that nice two stroke hit with the flywheel.
It's tough to go wrong with a CR. If there is a weak spot on the '91, it would be the forks. That was about the 3rd year of the inverted forks, and they were pretty harsh. In my opinion, it actually took until about '96 before Honda came up with forks as good as the '88 conventionals, stock-wise anyway. The good news is that the aftermarket companies have had more than enough practice with the re-valving. If you don't want to go that route, you could start with a fresh oil change, run the oil on the light side, and make sure the springs are proper for your wt.