Hard to shift up with boots?

If youre having issues getting under your shifter you can move the shifter up which will help quite a bit. Just make sure after you do so that you are very aware of the change and keep your feet back on the pegs to avoid accidental downshifts.

Whisky throttle. You don't get used to it as much as you learn to avoid it with good body postion, or maybe better control of your body position. It's one of many good reasons to stay forward on the bike, I think. You are in a better control position scooted "up to almost the gas tank" than you are "leaning back".

Also, gripping the bike between your legs helps you not need to have such a death grip on the bars, so you can have a lighter touch on the controls.

And try to keep a finger or two on the clutch at all times. That has been known to save an ass or two.

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If there's not already an index mark where the shifter sits on its shaft, you might want to make one. It makes it a little easier to keep track of your adjustments.

Are the boots new? When mine were, it was a little bit tricky, but they soften up after a while.