It varies state to state. Where are you located? Im pretty sure here in Cali you can only build one special construction motorcycle in your lifetime unless you buy a dealers permit. Too many people were building cheap bikes when they thought, after watching american chopper, that they could build a bike in an hour. Thats means you have to have the MSO for the frame and motor. But if you bought the frame from a yard and it has already been registered, then all your doing is an engine swap. Registering a bike from the ground up would be more difficult because in most cases you have to have receipts for everything like forks and wheels also. you would also have to get it brake and light inspected and then they would issue you a blue tag, its alot of work. Do as much as you can through AAA, if you don't have a AAA account then buy one, Its worth it. Plus you won't worry about a tow just in case you still have to get the kinks out of the bike and get stuck somewhere. AAA can do most all DMV paper work and are very lenient because in most cases they don't really know and just sign it off. I've been very luck dealing with AAA. When you deal DMV your really under the wrath of the attendent you are dealing with. So hopefully they are having a good day. Just make sure you have a Vin number for the motor. Some vin numbers have certain letters on them that show they are not street legal. Hope it works out for you. I have a Custom built $3500 250 Pro street chopper frame that i can't afford to finish building anymore. A v-twin Engine alone would be anothe $4000. But is would be awesome to do a setup like yours and way more reasonable on the budget. I could care less what people would say, Im sure they would revise their opinions after they found out how cheap it was to build.
Browse through ClubChopper.com. You can get all the info you need on building and registering a bike.
My future project frame.
