[embee]

A whole host of possible issues spring to mind. If it's not been in regular use for a good while a lot of things can cause problems.

Once it's running first thing is to check the charging voltage, should be somewhere between about 14 and 14.5V when revved a bit with the lights on. If it's below about 13.5V or above 15V the reg/rec is probably duff, not an uncommon fail on early SV bikes.
The water drain from the tank filler recess tended to rust through where it goes through the tank and lets water into the fuel. Sitting unused can result in crud in the tank. It won't start easily on stale fuel, and if it's sat long enough to start to gel it needs cleaning out thoroughly. Water or crud getting into the carb bowls will cause poor running or refusal to start, you can drain the float bowls with the drain screws.
As others say, the choke plungers on the SV carbs can corrode and stick, and the cables rust where they meet the plungers, all of which will result in poor starting or bad running, depending how the plungers stick or the cables break.
If it's been started and run only briefly for a number of times, especially using choke, the plugs can foul with wet carbon and it won't start. This is made worse with stale fuel.

Your first issue is to get a fully charged decent quality battery on it (good cold cranking amps CCA of around 200Amps+). I'd suggest getting the plugs out and have a look before trying to start it again, if they're fouled up you will be wasting your time trying to get it going.