Knowledge, a factory service manual is worth its weight in gold. I'm not a rocket scientist by any stretch of the imaqination, and I get by with that. A place to work on your bike, and just as importantly, tools, can be a bit more problematic. I'd get a service manual, and I do mean factory, first off. I'd scan ebay first. That's how I got my manual.
I don't know your background or knowledge base, but at least with a service manual handy, you can tackle things on your bike as your knowledge, tools and place to do it all allows.