Back to your first posting....the road to Hell is paved with good intentions! Many people in North America, it seems, buy bikes as toys, revere them, polish the shit out of them, keep them out of the weather and before you know it the novelty of riding is over and they "have no time to ride". I see this all the time! Plus, many of us are restricted by weather. Others start out riding and then, for a variety of reasons (fear, lack of skill, age) stop using these things. They get parked in the back of garages and forgotten about. The rest of the world use bikes as bona fide transportation, often, and rack up all kinds of mileage.
I would say don't be afraid. Due your due diligence, be prepared to spend some money changing out the decayed parts, and then get ready to smile as you bring your Brick back to an operating life! They aren't perfect, but Heinz puts a smile on my face every time I climb on....she is a highway queen!
Good luck.