As for riding, I'm no expert, but have survived on the street for 43 years (since 69) and was a MSF instructor for 8 years. (Motorcycle Safety Foundation). Here's a 1 minute version of an 8-hour Experienced Riders Course: 50% of bike wrecks involve alcohol. Don't drink and drive (or do any drugs, legal or illegal). Remember the car that hits you might have a drunk driver too. Riders (experienced or new) have problems turning, stopping, and swerving. This is what the course emphasizes. So practice in a parking lot empty of people and cars. Practice stopping quickly from 20 and 30 mph. Slowly at first, quicker later. Practice swerving with out breaking. Then practice swerving (as though changing lanes) and then stop. Example: Go straight, swerve right one lane width, stop. Do the same thing to the left. Practice turning. Slowly at first, faster later. The tire contact patch with the road is VERY small, a little over an inch. Without "traction" a bike won't stand up (you can verify this by trying to ride on pure ice in the winter). So remember, especially when leaning over traction is very important. Water, ice, oil, sand, dirt, dead squirrels, etc, all limit traction. The less traction, the greater the possibility of a crash. Do you know what countersteering is? Ride the bike in a straight line at 20 mph in a deserted, paved parking lot. Loosen your grip on the handlebars. Push on the right bar handle. Which way does the bike go? If you're pushing the right handlebar, you'd think the bike would go left? But in reality it will go to the right. This is called countersteering. Push right, go right. Push left, go left. The harder you push the more the bike will lean and turn in the direction your pushing. Why? Because both of your wheels/tires even at 20 mph act like gyroscopes. Gyroscopes don't like to be knocked off there axis. So if you push the right handle bar the bike will lean to the right because you're trying to push it to the left. It "falls" in the oposite direction of the push. So this will give you some things to think about and practice. Also remember the front brake is the hardest to control, but the MOST IMPORTANT. You can get up to 100% of braking power from the front tire (a "brakey" where the rear tire comes off the ground!). If you have questions, ask?