Listen to the posters that say take the BRC!

[oxbow1]

I started riding last year at the ripe old age of 40, and I took the BRC in my area.
The proper attitude is ( I know nothing)
all questions are good questions
understand that you may not understand at first(ask more questions)
Having a "member" doesn't automatically make you qualified
The right gear should be part of your newbie budget($1000.00 worth of gear and $500.00 worth of motorcycle is a good combination)
you WILL drop your first bike
riding is a skill that takes years to develop
caution and fear are 2 completely different animals
TAKE YOUR TIME! get comfortable at your own pace, you don't have to go from Vancouver to Daytona your first year to be a rider.
TMW loves live riders and mourns dead ones
parking lot's are our friends and let us make mistakes without killing ourselves or anyone else.
fighter pilots start in a Cessna
The 3rd man to walk on the moon was killed in a motorcycle accident.
if I have given any bad advice here I would hope the Vets would let me know.

[Thumper]

you WILL drop your first bike

I pretty much agree with you except for this. Not everyone drops their first bike. I didn't; I waited for my second, more expensive bike.

Lots of people never drop. Some people do. I think a better statement would be "Don't freak over dropping your bike, because it happens." It might be bike #1 or bike #12. Or never. But if it does, as long as you're not hurt, it's not worth stressing over.

[oxbow1]

I was speaking of my experiance, my tires are 15 years old and look great