As someone who started on the 500, and this forum, and has been riding 8 years, and is still safe here's some unsolicited advice. We've seen a few members have horrific and life altering accidents on this site through the years. Don't be one of them. Motorcycling does not have to be unsafe but you the rider ultimately make it safe or unsafe for yourself with your actions.
1) take the MSF course. It'll cost money but save you some on your insurance. It'll also partly teach you as a beginner how to ride safely and get you your license all in one process, at least in most states. It is the best way to start riding. Then practice in a parking lot, as much as possible, things like panic braking, avoidance maneuvers, and tight U turns and slaloms. These are all skills that take time to develop but will save your ass on the road. Learn to recognize threats like possible left turners at intersections, wandering drivers, and people who may be about to pull out onto the road ahead and learn to automatically slow and observe and plan an avoidance strategy if they do before it happens. Just because you have the right of way does not mean they see you. Ride like your invisible.
2) buy some protective gear, not just a helmet. See the gear WIKI on this site for advice on this and DON'T ever ride without it. As a minimum you'll need a FF helmet, gloves, 3 season mesh jacket with armor and boots of some kind. Motorcycle pants will save your knees and hips in a slide.
3) avoid the temptation at all costs to ride faster than your abilities and never over estimate your abilities
4) realize it will take about 3 years of riding to become a competent rider, it does not come all at once. Your avoidance and reaction instincts take a while to develop. Fear is a good thing as long as it is not paralyzing, it's your brain telling you not to do something because your going to get hurt. You may think you know everything after 3000 miles on the road but your only at the end of the beginning stage of learning to ride.
5) read as much as you can and watch you tube videos, hopefully not the ones by squids, on how to ride safely, counter steer, do parking lot drills, etc. and do lots of parking lot drills like tight U turns. Learning to ride involves slow speeds and very tight controlled maneuvers - like U turns within a 2 parking slot width. If you can't do these you have no business being on the road. Also braking is a skill that takes time to develop and lots of practice as is clutch slipping and other things. Start by reading the how to ride articles in the WIKI section of this site.
6) realize a motorcycle, if you don't know how to operate it, or drive responsibly, can kill or seriously injure you in a split second. For instance crashing with a following car that will run over you or hitting a solid object at speed. Low speed controlled and very tight maneuvers are the best and safest way to learn motorcycle control. If you can do these you'll be a lot safer at speed. Going fast in a straight line is easy, braking and cornering in an avoidance maneuver is not.
7) U Haul rents motorcycle trailers for under $20 for a full day
8 ) read safety statistics and how most fatalities occur on a motorcycle and avoid or be cautious in these situations.