If I kick someone, I get a free hit.
If I nudge someone, I don't.*
* (unless 1h no shield on left swing with enough wpf and a fastish weapon).
Why is the timer on the nudges and not on kicks? If you want to have a timer, at least have it on both. The time between kicks is way too low compared to the time between nudges, and kicks are the ones that give you free hits.
The problem with kicking after nudges doesn't really exist anymore. When nudges first came, they made you unable to move while you were being nudged, so kicking a guy right after a nudge was really easy. Now that nudging doesn't stop you from moving, you can just backpedal away from the kick, just as if you weren't being nudged. The only nudge that stops you from moving are the shoves (defend + nudge), and they push you out of kick range anyway.
You also you got a timer after nudging, meaning nudge&kick is no longer problem. Even if they removed the timer, being kicked after being nudged is pretty hard (assuming it's from the same person).
The only time I would think it could happen, would be if someone shoved you into a wall/object really close, and then kicking you. But you would still be able to chamberkick so it's still counter-able.