As far as gear.....full face helmet, leather jacket, gloves, boots, typically jeans with shorts underneath when I arrived at my destination (all summer long). A little sweat is better than road rash. I like to tell my friends that want to get bikes or ride with little or no gear to drag their knuckles against the pavement and ask how that felt. Then I tell them try that at 30 mph and see what it's like. Needless to say I've convinced a few to get the proper gear.
GL with the bike and be safe out there.