Protect your baby!!! Skid plates are a must if you ride in the east, baja designes makes one of the thickest, although you might have to trim the left side for your shifting foot. FMF Gnarly pipes WILL DENT (fairly easily) and I can provide multiple personal testamonies to this fact. Get a pipe guard, I'm kicking myself for thinking that I didn't need one for my Gnarly. I'm doing the same after trying to save a few bucks by skipping the frame guards when I bought my new KDX, you'll thank yourself later. Also, a sharkfin is a wise investment; about the same price or less than a rotor, it can pay for itself. Radiator braces and aftermarket guards can spare you a sum equal to a full set of new gear (with boots, w/o helmet). Finally, handguards can prevent broken levers/perches, broken digits, broken egos, and (the worst of all) DNFs.
Just hopeing that you wouln't have to learn from some of the mistakes that I have made during my first few youthfull 'indestructable' racing years.
Best of luck!
-Nick