my '04 BA was (and is) my first road bike. i was a little nervous when picking it up from the dealership almost 3 years ago and have dropped it a time or two w/ minimal damage. nothing have i regreted, and i have learned a lot along the way: i just finished the 12K valve job in my garage and the fabrication of a homemade backrest thanks to a writeup by member "vwone" (Dean) in the tech vault. the only work that's been done at the dealer was the 600 mile first checkup.
mostly, though, i think you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of the ride.
