[garjoCB450]

Bike looks good, if a little oxidized, nothing some polishing/wet sanding can't cure. My suggestion for a new rider, don't drink and ride, don't ride too fast, don't get caught up in the exhileration of speed,many first timers won't survive the first 6 months on the street without an incident, many who do,won't ride again, it is a crucial time for learning the dos and don'ts of motorcycling on the street. There are many things to learn, just take it gradually. Get a right side mirror, as you'll need it. I like to use my rt mirror for the rear view of the lane i'm traveling, and the left mirror for the left lane (on a 2 lane road). Looking at your pics, rotate your left mirror out further, so as not to get so much of your shoulder in the view. Man hole covers, the middle of lanes, especially at intersections, painted surfaces such as crosswalks are the most slippery, more so when wet. Personally i would swap out the handlebars for something more standard. Take the time to learn the maintenance of your machine, its important,straight forward and rewarding. I recommend using Stabil at every fill up, a fuel preservative which combats the effects of the lousy E10 gasoline sold in most US states, it will save you many headaches down the road(and carb rebuilds) Good luck with your bike, wear proper safety gear( hi viz jackets work), it is a high reward, low cost machine, which can be inherently dangerous if not respected. Disregard your knucklehead stepdad, does he expect you to start riding on a road king?

 

[garjoCB450]

I should have added, always be aware of your surroundings. garjo

 

[garjoCB450]

I actually just got a side mirror on ebay so I'm just waiting for that to arrive. What kind of handlebars would you suggest for a more "standard" one?

Handlebars are a personal preference, and a bar which feels good to one rider might not for another due to differences in anatomy or body type, but i prefer something like these which allow for good control and leverage while being comfortable, not too low or to high. Similar to bars found on the cb450sc/cb650sc .Emgo Daytona bars can be had for $27.86 at Denniskirk.comhttps://www.denniskirk.com/emgo/chr...om/emgo/chrome-7-8-in-daytona-touring-handlebar-23-12564.p599838.prd/599838.sku