Buy the best you can especially when choosing a helmet, get one that fits correctly, it has to be comfortable or it will be a distraction. I always liked Hein Gericke gear, good quality and choice. Enjoy your motorcycling, its great fun and relatively safe if you don't go beserk. Walk before you can run etc. Even small engined bikes have incredible acceleration so take care, consider an IAM bike course, great fun and excellent tuition which will make your riding faster and smoother. Up here in t'north east the course is assisted by Durham Police M/C section and they are good instructors. Leathers offer the best abrasion protection but get quite cold when wet, new fabrics like cordura and goretex offer less protection but are waterproof. Don't want to be a party pooper but something which always sticks in my mind after the IAM course is this fact :
At 50mph on a motorway grade surface, unprotected skin wears away at 4 inches per second.
No shorts and T shirts is the message.