Been a while since I did it, but these folks are right. I brought a bike from New Zealand & registered it in CA without any issues, there's a couple similar hoops to jump through.
You will be required to get the VIN verified & usualy any CHP officer at the local depot can do it. They run the numbers to make sure it's not stolen or duplicated in the system. I'd call the DMV to see if the form the CHP will need is provided by the DMV or the CHP to save some time.
Dont ever goto a large DMV, find one in an outlying town and get there early. The people that work these small places seem to be less likely to suffer from burnout and can be of some actual use to you, making the extra few miles worth the cost.
I was SO lucky here in WA with 'tater, could have been a major cluster,...
She hadn't been papered since '76, and that was as a farm vehicle. She's been sold a couple times since then as well & all I had was the origianl title with a signature on it. Took me all of 30 minutes to get plates & be on my way.
Good luck!
