after you pull the plugs and put some oil/kroil/mystery oil or other lubricant ( NOT WD-40 !!!) and let it sit for a couple of days, put it in 4th gear,rock it and see of the engine is free to rotate.

If the engine is locked up, don't even bother with the rest until you know the engine is good

If you have a friend with an inspection camera that will snake thru the spark plug holes, look at the bores.

If it will rotate, change the oil and filters, leave the plugs out,put a battery to it and see if it will spin and if the oil pressure light goes out.

If it spins and you have pressure, and by spinning it you blew the oil out of the bores, try a compression test but make sure you have the right adapters so the top of the pistons don't slap into the compression gauge threads.

 

.....i wonder if Rita held up better than the bike? Looks like a very cool project by the way. Best of luck!

 

Damn, that bike brings back some great memories. I bought a 1989 Sportie off the showroom floor back then. Put 16K on it before I traded it in. As for RITA, the patina is worth as much as the bike. Keep all original except for replacement functional parts. Bring it back to life and ride it like it was meant to be.

 

PM me your email address...I have info for you!

 

Some of you guys are skipping the carb. There's no way that carb will work without a complete tear down and rebuild. With the low miles this bike is a diamond in the rough. But it's going to take some work. I hope the OP didn't pay much for it.

 

Keep the patina. That is as much a story as the bike. I would like a project like this.

 

Word of advice on resurrecting a long time sitter of which I've done many, don't dick with the carb till the last after the bikes running and some gas has gone through things and several other issues that will arise have been dealt with. Eliminates questions about really needs work and what doesn't.

 

Agreed. As long as the carb was dry when stored it should be okay save for some dried out stuff. Hopefully gas will swell up those gaskets.

 

I am more interested in Rita. Looks like a lovely lady. Women that ride their own bikes tend to be interesting, at least to me.

 

Typically in this scenario a bike is NOT prepared for loooong term storage. 30 year old gas in tank, carb and lines. It turns to varnish. I guess it's worth a try to see if it starts, but my money is on, it will need a carb rebuild.