Well there’s all sorts of ways to avoid emissions, there are several states and specifically counties within those states which will allow you to register your vehicle there (like Montana and Idaho) with pretty light proof of residence.
I’ve got to do some more research but what I was told from my cruiser friend in Montana is that any vehicle over 11 years old is eligible for one time lifetime registration, and proof of residency is as light as having a PO Box once.
Even if you wanted to stay with a CO plate you just need a friend in a county that doesn’t require emissions who you “can be a roommate with” to get the address confirmation.
It's not that, you create an LLC, you have a registered agent in montana set it up. The vehicle gets titled by the registered agent. The service is pricey, i think i paid $850. I am probably going to do my other cruiser and just skip the emissions song and dance. You are correct, it is a lifetime tag. I will then let my LLC drift into nothingness.
I thought my insurance would go up, but after spesking with insursnce agents in montana, i listed my llc as an "additional interest" and my insurance rates remained the same. If you have s friend, just have them forward the initial mail to you. After that, you can do business from anywhere.