[GenPatton]

This may be specific to the insurance you have, but I have Progressive, and I dropped the bike (going very slow 5-10mph) the right fairing is cracked, and the most visible scratches are on the muffler and fairing. The damage is only cosmetic, so I do not plan on replacing it yet since I'm afraid I might drop it again; however, is there a better way to go about this? If I file a claim with my insurance and have them cover all or part of the repairs, will my rate go up? Since the damage is cosmetic mainly (right fairing, right turn signal scratch, etc. - most expensive being muffler), it shouldn't cost too much to pay for repairs myself, right? or wrong? What would you guys do if you were in my situation?

Repair it yourself. I wouldn't even worry about it. If it's your first bike, you may drop it again. Just ride it and enjoy it.

Making a claim due to you dropping it will probably raise your insurance, and, depending on your deductible, wouldn't be worth it.

Most people keep insurance out of the loop unless something major happens to their bike.