Dan, I answered it politely in two other posts. IIRC Others have said far worse to similar questions. Please accept my apologies...........have more to offer than sarcasm.

 

Not sure what posts you are talking about, the OP only has two posts on this forum (duplicate), and only one has any responses...

 

This thread. your right about the dupe threads...never thought about it

 

If the gas tank is dry, all you might have to do with a stored bike is put some gas in it and fire it up to get the engine running - but I'm not claiming that's the best thing to do, little pre-oil in the cylinders wouldn't hurt, and an oil change.

Your 12 old - if there's any liquid in the tank, I'd pull and clean it out. Pull the plugs and put a squirt of oil in the cylinders, turn it over a few times and let it sit till the rest of the work is done. Pull the carb bowl; if it's dry and clean, you might be lucky and not have to do anything to it. It'll let you know if that's not true when you run it... really want to be safe, as said previously, clean it out and new gaskets/o-rings.

Tires have to go, and I'd at least pull an outer seal to check the grease in sealed bearings, clean and re-grease if it has the older style, but replace sealed bearings if they need anything - might ruin them pulling them out anyway. If you're lucky, you won't have to pound the axles out, regardless, coat them well with anti seize going back together so the next guy won't have to pound them out. If you have to use a hammer on them, I'd replace sealed bearings, too.

Even just sitting, 12 years is a long time for the brake fluid, I'd change that too, and flush a little through it. While the wheels are off, it's a good time to put something a little thinner than the brake disks between the pads so you can squeeze them out a little, and clean the crud ring off the pistons. I've run up a few bikes that have sat for years, usually not a big deal.

In 1968 I got to see an inline Indian with no paint left - it was the same rust color all over, had laid on it's side under a bush in Texas boonies for who knows how long. The guy that brought it home found it while trail biking, stood it up, said it kicked over real smooth, so for kicks he put some gas in the carb, and it fired right up. Something to be said for magneto ignition... No riding it, of course, gas line and tires were crumbling, chain was rusted solid. What a great restoration project, had no metal damage other than an easily removed patina of rust.

 

If the gas tank is empty, it will probably be pretty rusty inside.