Rat_ranger said:
It is much simpler to buy a titled donor bike. Then depending on the state you can use the steering head as the base for your new frame, already have a title, and you have the engine with everything it needs.
That'd be my 4 pennarth too. Works for me every time.
Buy a complete cosmetically challenged- BUT RUNNING - whatever. Sell all the parts you don't need / want and you'll have a pile of parts that owe you very little.
Not familiar with the ramifications of "Title" in the US / Canada, but I'm guessing it's similar to our UK V5 / Log Book which has the chassis / engine #'s [ OEM ] related to a registration # [ issued by the Government ].
There has long been a "grey" area in the regs as the V5 document puts emphasis on the chassis# for the ident., NOT the engine.
Here in the UK we currently have an "Oldtimer" [ Historic ] classification whereby if a vehicle [ car or bike ] was registered [ actually BUILT ] before 1972 you pay NO annual road tax, get Historic [ ie cheap ] insurance, and there are new regs afoot which will mean no annual safety check required [ MOT ].
With the Replica cars I've been involved in - that meant dubious registration at times - albeit with totally legit original papers. Example - 1970 Jaguar becomes a "C TYpe " !!!!!!!! Ford Escort becomes a "Ford" Cobra.....etc.,etc.. About the only ones that stood a vague chance of legality were the various Beetle floorpan abortions.
Bikes are somewhat simpler as most OEM stamped #s / Plates are on the headstock. Take such a V5 with accompanying headstock / frame to be cut down - and you have legit makings for your "Scratchbuilt" bike.
There's NO need to buy a new crate motor - unless you have money to spare ! In my experience a new crate motor would be more than the total cost of my builds.
BTW - take a look at Loek's scratch built bike - built around a Yamaha TR1 powertrain [ not biased at all - honest ].