Shtfaced shares how he got his Wisconsin Special Construction Title

The following is what I did to get my chopper project through inspection and title in the state of Wisconsin.

1. The first thing I would suggest is to go to the website, and download the PDF files with the statutes for equipment requirements, standards for vehicle equipment, and registration of vehicles. They don't make this as easy as it sounds so I would try to follow these steps:

Click on 'Home made or reconstructed vehicles', and you should see a link to 305.065, or 305.02. Click on it to get to the PDF. You need to print out the whole 305.02. This is the "Standards for Vehicle Equipment". Most of these PDF's have stuff spattered around different locations. The stuff that pertains to motorcycles is here and there, so you will need to read, or at least scan through the whole thing till you get to the stuff that pertains to you.

Example: page 7 of this one, Subchapter III is a lot of stuff for motorcycles. You still need to read through the whole thing for the obscure stuff like " Licence Plates must be displayed in a horizontal position" ect. The bulk of Subchapter III is where you will find most of it: Fender coverage, Lighting, Rake and Trail allowances Ect.

After you get that printed out, print out form 347: Equipment (chapter 347) Wisconsin statutes. Equipment. Here again you will need to read it all to get to the stuff you need because some of it applies to all vehicles, where scattered about is the motorcycle stuff. Example: Page 14, 347.486, has the handlebar height requirements.

Next, get the "Registration of Vehicles" form 341.03.This Statute has stuff in it about Special registration and titles for "Reconstructed, replica and Street Modified Vehicles" which are different that "Built From Scratch". Here again, you need to go throught it all to glean the stuff that pertains to your project. It's a little different if your bike is a Reproduction of a known model, or a Rebuilt Salvaged Vehicle. Getting these rules off this site is a pain so keep digging if I got this sequence wrong. You will need to review these three statutes. Once you find these three statutes, you have most of the rules in your hand.
I would build to comply with this stuff. Once you get your bike through inspection, you can "Bob Off Fenders", use the cool bitchin loud exhaust, modify the lighting and licence plate mounts ect, but they're going to hold you to these specs.

Wisconsin is pretty liberal with many of the rules you can't really change later without a major hassle like: You can run up to 50 deg rake, as long as you maintain at least 2" of trail (305.46 Suspension System). I wouldn't recommend 50 Degrees of rake with 2" of trail, but there letting you do what you want pretty much.
Thanks to HD, you can run bars up to 30" above the saddle with the riders weight on it which is plenty high, JMO, (347.486 General Requirements). Most of HD models didn't comply with the old rule of 15" so HD talked them into opening up this rule. ( After all, this is Wisconsin).
I built my bike un-painted except for primer on the tin in case I had to make big changes to comply. They asked about it so I told them I wanted to get it through inspection, then put some miles on it before paint so I could fix a rub, or move something to comply with the rules and not wreck a good paint job, and that made sense to them.
They will have stuff they don't like on your bike, but if you are nice about it, and can show how you comply with the rule, they will buy it. They didn't like my apes, but after explaining the rule, they were all right with it. Same for my back fender, even though I really didn't comply, I talked my way around it, and I was close to begin with. Just a FYI, the rule is clear for the front fender, pretty much full coverage radially, but the back fender is vague so put a full fender on it, and cut it down later so you dont get pinched for it.

The state Patrol Vehicle inspectors came to my house for the inspection, but if you're near one of the bigger cities, they may have you bring it in. It must be running, and ready to roll under it's own power. I never took mine off the lift, but don't count on that for your inspection.
You will need an MSO for the Frame, Engine, and Transmission. If you have a Bill of Sale for these items, they will want to see tracability back to the title of the vehicle these major components came from if there's no MSO"s involved (Used Parts). Thats what they told me anyway. That makes it tough to buy a used motor off eBay. Maybe if you had something notorized from the seller you could make it fly, but they're going to be skeptical all the way so plan on it.

The Inspecting officer will have three forms, two of which you can't get... MV2673, Major Parts Statement. This is the one that you need to list the part type, year, make, part number, vin if applicable and whether you have attached the receipt. (Better have the receipt or don't even bother listing it, and the Frame, Motor and the Transmission are the bare minimum on this form.
This form is a piece of cake if you bought a rolling chassis as the recipt will list everything. That, along with your motor receipt, and the one from the transmission, and you're good. Even if all you have is the "Big Three" ( motor frame trans) they won't usually hassle you. Just say you had the rest of the stuff from bike projects past, or guys gave you some of the small stuff. They're pretty good about that. The inspecting officer told me that anyway.
The big reason for this form, other than a record of the parts and receipts, is they want the sales tax on stuff you bought off the web, or stuff you haven't paid sales tax on. The recipts will show it.
The next form you can't get is the "Motorcycle Inspection Certification Form" MV4061. This one has the type of construction... Repaired, Salvaged, Homemade, Replica. It also has the Big Three Vin Numbers and a space for "Other, Specify"
It is also the Inspection Checklist, and has the sign off areas for the Inspectors. The Inspectors really liked me because I was nice and I took the time to explain some stuff to them, so they left me these forms so I could fill them out for them, while I tracked down a few recipts from internet transactions. I made copies of them. If you PM me, I will send you a PDF so you can look them over for reference before your inspection.
The last form is the good ol' MV1 which is the title and registration application for every motor vehicle in the state of Wisconsin. You probabbly know it well. Licence plate fee is $23.00 as you probably know, and title fee is $45.00. Tack on all your sales tax, and any local tax depending on your county and you're good to go.
The inspection officer will need to sign off on the first two forms, and "THEY" send in all three includding the MV1 along with your check. Just a couple of last things.. They don't like Open Belt Drives and they will make you dance around that one to get it to pass. Theres no specific law, but they can use the good ol "Anything Protruding From the Vehicle in a Dangerous Manner" rule to shoot you down on the Open Drive. Be ready for that. If possible use a Stock Primary Drive if possible, or at least have all the guards on it. Use lights that have the DOT mark on the lenses if possible (Brake and Turn signals). They might look for that if they're dicks. You can change them later. Stock exhaust and mufflers are a must. Just get'em on there. Use some perforated strap to make up some temporary mounts to the frame or what ever so they're not loose and wobbling around. Splice, bend, cut the tubes, whatever you got to do to get them on there. Just to get'er through. You will need a heat shield in spots that might contact the operator if you get the right inspector, but they don't have to be pretty. Putting some of this stuff on just to rip it off later is another good reason not to have good paint. You can pretty it all up later after inspection.

That's basically it, for me anyway. I'm glad I had some stock parts laying around like exhaust, lights, etc. I'm glad I didn't have to track down a stock primary drive, but don't count on having the same luck. Maybe you got a buddy that will lend you some stuff, and next time, you can do the same. Keep your bike quiet, and as tame looking as possible until you get'er through. And have all the required lights. That's big with the inspectors.

Good luck.
Shtfaced.