The first thing you need to do is to apply for a title. Depending on how you came about the bike as a whole, a "special constructor" title is an option.
After the title application has been done, the DMV main office will notice the VIN on the bike is not of the proper length and deny your application. You will then need to go back to the DMV and get the proper forms to bring with you to the CHP to for an inspection for them to assign you a Califnornia Assigned Vehicle ID (little blue tag attached to the frame).
once you got that it's back to the DMV and some more paper work and your pretty much done.
I think I had three trips to the DMV and one trip to the CHP office when I did mine. Took about a month or so to get it all done.
The main thing is don't lie about what you got or what your doing. Ask the people at the DMV how to get a title for a motorcycle that doesn't have a title. Don't offer any more information then what is needed at that moment. Be nice, don't insult anyone and don't get angry with anyone.
You would be surprised how much help you can actually get from a DMV employee if your friendly nice, and ask them for help.
Oh and a couple of tips about dealing with the DMV.
1. Mornings are good (not Monday morning). Get to them before they have dealt with 100's of assholes over the day and are burnt out.
2. Try to get an younger DMV employee, one that hasn't been working in the DMV hell for their entire life. Younger people are still not sure they really hate their job, so are more willing to help you out with your problem.
3. Act dumb. Don't try to tell them how to do their job. tell them you have a motorcycle you want to register and have no clue what to do, can they help you out?
4. Bring as much information with you as you can. Check out the DMV site for possible forms you may need, bring supporting documents (bill of sales, receipts, signed statements, etc.). If you check out the DMV site, it's all there what needs to be done, how to do it and the forms needed to do it with. fill out and bring with you all the possible forms that may be needed, but still act stupid, and let the DMV people tell you what you need.
5. Be prepared to take a while to do this. It's not something that will be done in one trip on one day. It takes time and more then one trip. Probably also a trip to the CHP office for an inspection.
6. CHP inspection... This is the most nerve racking part of the whole process. They are basically the ones that have all the control over everything. Again, don't try to lie to them, but don't give them more info then needed. Answer the questions they ask of you, and nothing more.
7. Don't lie on the paper work. Dont put down you have a 1975 Honda 250 something or other. It becomes a federal crime at some point.
I basically built an NSR from spare parts. Had a frame from here, suspension from there, and engine from somewhere else. I went through the process as building a bike. In the end my 1993 MC21 NSR250 was titled as a 2000 Honda NSR250 (it's what the CHP assigned it) due to me building it from parts. I got signed statements, statements of fact, bill of sales, etc from the people I got the parts from. Found a 23 year old lady at the DMV in a smaller town and she helped me out with everything. THe CHP did the inspection (again in a small town area). The asked the standard questions, called up to Sacto, asked more questions and they signed off on it an hour later.
One line of questions was going down the path of it being a 2-stroke. I told them up front it was, but the last question they asked me was if I mixed the gas and oil before I put it in the gas tank. I told them the truth. NO, I put gas in the tank and go. See, I didn't lie, I just gave them the info they asked for, didn't offer then info about the oil injection system.
You would be surprised how far a little respect and being nice will get you when it comes to a government agency
_________________
Charles Gallant