So finally I got the bike in "service mode", below, during which several things have surfaced (not good things).
I started with the air intake, fearful that I would find some live animal in there, however the only bad thing while removing the top cover of the airbox was the missing screws at the back of the cover, which later I found laying on the rubber sheet below the throttle body (positive). K&N washable filter, dirty as hell, now washed and clean. While in there I removed the cruise actuator as well.
Having a hard time raising the fuel tank due to some interference with the handlebar raisers, I removed the central plate in between the raisers to find the yellow screw (normally covered by the central plate) on the right handlebar only half way in... I guess I'll retorque all the screws in that area at reassembly.
Since my target was to get to the clutch SC - not very serviceable due to location - and also wanting to inspect the swingarm bearings, I fiddled for a while with removing the O2 sensor wires, loosening the brake lines/ABS sensor, etc, on top of the swingarm, and finally got the swingarm out.
Before that, I found out that bike came with a Hagon rear monoshock, which unfortunately had the preload line severed, due to rubbing against the rear tire??? Anyone should have info on getting a replacement line please advise (thanks in advance!!).
Back to the swingarm, removed the bearings noticing that the outer races have mar marks on them from where the rollers were and the inner race is frozen to the rollers on both sides, new bearings required. Any ideas on removing the outer races from swingarm please advise. Next bearing to check will be the needle bearing for the shock.
Rear brake caliper - pin boots have tears and need replacing, unsure about the piston seals which will determine at time of rebuild.
Brake fluid in the MC reservoir looked the same as clutch (neglected, with rust deposits at the bottom).
Finally got to removing the clutch SC, condition as below (not surprising with the general maintenance condition of the bike which became apparent more and more as I was removing things):
The mating location on the engine is similar:
At this point I returned to cleaning the return port in the clutch MC - which prevented riding the bike home - my usual copper wire method did not work, needed a fine sewing needle which got the job done, see black specs that came out of the port - now, when pulling/releasing the lever I can see the flow coming out of that return port. I flushed the clutch lines with fresh brake fluid and lots of rust came out, also the SC was full of rust sludge.
Time to order some parts.