Taking the course is worth it. It is equivalent to six months riding experience, and in addition. The Hurt Report that studied reported motorcycle collisions attributed a shockingly large amount of them to riders who were taught by family members or self-taught.

Congratulations on the bike! If you plan on riding a ton of gravel roads with it, you may want to consider crash guards and perhaps some aggressive tread tires for it. Taking the corners slow is going to help keep you rubber side down and shiny side up.

Where is the course? Halifax?