OK, here goes:
ALWAYS wear a helmet. And jeans, shoes and long sleeves. The cop that came when I had my accident said would have been toast w/ them.
TRAVEL IN GROUPS! The biggest problem for motorcycle riders is that car drivers DO NOT see them. My accident (I was just riding) happened because a lady took a left turn in front of us. Traveling in groups gives you a visible presence. In a car/motorcycle accident, the car is always going to win.
DON'T drive like an idiot. It's not cool to be paralyzed from the waist down (including your pecker

)
LEARN to drive the darn thing somewhere else besides the busy roads.
I loved riding them. My ex and I had one and used to take it to the lake and mountains before the kid was born. But after you meet pavement and spend 1+ years getting surgeries, you do what you can to lower your risk.