Bob, I'll add a little from the previously mentioned article from "T.H.B.C."
"When one whishes to get a project "legal" there are certain avenues that are open to them. The first, and easiest, is to start with a complete motorcycle that already has a title, preserve the neck numbers somehow during the chopping process and Bob's your uncle...no further screwing around required. If it was legal to start with, it's still legal when you finish.
Then there's the "ground up custom" where one buys a Paughco/Bare Knuckle/Jammer frame and builds themselves a great bike out of the available parts in the stash or out of the store/swapmeet. This is a different kettle of fish to get legal. In "Michigan", you'll need an MSO for the frame, engine and transmission. You'll also need "RECEIPTS" for the OTHER MAJOR PARTS, such as the front end, seat, exhaust, etc. Then you grab your pile of paperwork and go to the Secretary of State (DMV) and pay 6% tax on everything, and start the ball rolling for an "assembled" title. They will send a detective out to check out the parts, and you'll probably have to have another cop do an inspection. Eventually, you'll get the "assembled" title and have all the fun of trying to find someone to insure it. It's a pain, but it can be done without too much difficulty."
These guy's haven't done this once or twice, but numerous times. They are from Michigan, so this is for Michigan! (lets compare apples to apples)
As always, it's NOT UNUSUAL to get people at the DMV who are not up to speed on this (first time, possibly), so if they tell you different, ask to talk to the supervisor, cause the Horse people HAVE DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES, and I'd go with their advice over anyone else's.
You can email them if necessary, but do as much as you can with due diligence, as they probably won't communicate with you more than once.
