Motorcycle that's been sitting for a while?

A year isn't too long for the cylinders, it would be the fuel and the fuel system I'd be concerned with.

If the bike is injected and the fuel has started to gel than it'll do nothing but gum things up.

If it's a carbed engine you could probably get away with just draining all the the old fuel out, all the way through to the float bowls and add a dose of Sea-Foam to the next few tankfuls.

The year old fuel may be a problem. Drain the tank as best you can and replace with new high octane and some stabilizer/ carb cleaner (sat-bil or the likes to help the fuel in the carbs ) with 4 carbs you will still have a lot of fuel left in the system.

I would turn it over without starting for a few cranks just to loosten things up and spread some oil around.

But a year is not too long .

Sitting a year should be no big deal and even if the gas is bad you're not going to hurt the bike by starting it and running it. I bought a 99 Ninja 250 for my son, was sitting in storage with gas in it for three years, it started but smoked real bad. On the way to get the bike, got a flat on the trailer, ended up leaving the trailer, had my wife drive the truck home and I ended up riding the Ninja home, 45 miles, ran like crap, smoked a lot. Got it home, tore down the carbs, cleaned them and put new seals in, put them back on the bike adjusted the air mixture and she ran like brand new. Did the same thing with a GS500F I had, was sitting for a couple years, rode it home about 30 miles or so, ran rough (but not as bad as the Ninja), cleaned the carbs and she ran like new again. Start the bike and see how it runs.. if it's rough drain the gas and put some fresh gas in, if it still runs rough clean the carbs and you're in business.

Wearing a seat belt is mandatory in my state. Wearing a helmet is not mandatory in my state. That is how the laws read. I don't need a law to tell me to buckle up either my seat belt or my motorcycle helmet. I was in an auto accident a life time ago and was knocked out of the car. Fortunately I only suffered road rash. Been wearing a seat belt ever since. Wearing a full face helmet is a no brainer. The problem come into play when the government tells us what choices to make. That is the argument made by the anti-helmet law proponents.

I have an ST1100 that sat for a year. I put in a new battery and it stared right up, you wouldn't know there had ever been a problem. People warned me that the fuel might gum up the carbs but it wasn't a problem. If it was a small problem you could just dump some carb cleaner in the gas.

drain the fuel, new plug, wouldnt hurt to check the oil.

get some carb cleaner just incase. i found when petrols goes gummy it sticks like glue to the floats. (permitting your bike is carbs)

then talk nicely to it and hope she starts. i wouldnt worry too much about oil into cylinders you should be fine with the basics.

oh and remember you add fresh fuel.

best of luck.

St1100 Battery

Put a battery in it, fill up the tank with a little fuel treatment mixture, start it up, and go. Trust me. One year is not a long time. You are good to go.

should be no problem running it after just a year, resist the urge to rev it up! let it idle for a few minutes first.

I would take it to the shop and let them start it for you. The risk of seizing the engine is high, even if you oil it well.