The license thing must have started recently, I transferred a bike into my name a  year ago, they never asked or looked at my CDL. Also it’s in my wife and my name, she doesn’t have a Mcy license. Either way it sucks dealing with Ca DMV. 
Plus the ridiculous high registration cost. 

I have found a DMV page that says specifically that it must first be insured, and you must have a motorcycle endorsement.

www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registrati...gister-a-motorcycle/

However, not everything the DMV posts online is accurate.

It also seems odd, because say I wanted to take the skills test on this old Enduro. In order to ride it down to the DMV to take the skills test, it would need to be registered first. Of course I could take the written test and get a learner's permit, so I would assume they would allow you to register it if you have a learner's permit?

In any case, I'll find out. I just would love to have that current sticker on the bike, then get the insurance, and after I get it completely fixed up I'll have more incentive to pay the money to take a motorcycle class. I do have plenty of experience riding on and off road. I rode until I was around 50, however I wouldn't be opposed to taking a class. I would probably learn things that I never knew. That said, this bike will probably only be ridden around town on short trips, and perhaps a little bit of trail riding.

I also have several neighbors that have vintage motorcycles and scooters, and they ride to local gatherings occasionally of others with old rusty bikes, and fully restored motorcycles.

Erin got her bike last July...  and it could be the clerk "blamed" the computer?  As anyone who has dealt with CA DMV knows, the "rules" often vary at different offices and even with different clerks. 

When she told me what happened I checked DMV website and found it does say you need the endorsement to register.  Never heard of it before then.

I've now got titles, plates and registrations for 3 bikes in CA, all of which came without a title.

I would recommend Jackie's Title Service in Corona, who I used for all, they walk into the DMV backdoor and it was a snap.  They can also run the VIN in advance to make sure there aren't any backfees or reported stolen in CA

Also, even if they do the VIN inspection for $50 (they are DMV agents) 2 out of 3 times I got referred to the CHP to do it again to run against all 50 states for being stolen, which was easy in San Juan Cap because I befriended a really nice officer .
 

another benefit of having service do VIN inspection is that unlike DMV that requires that the bike is fully assembled and operational, I had this done with engine and bike in pieces in my garage, albeit for an additional fee   

What if someone has private property that they can ride on, and just wants to restore vintage motorcycles, and not ride on public streets? Or they might just want to restore the bikes, and keep them in a collection. It seems to me they should allow you to register it, then if you end up riding it on the street without the endorsement and get caught, that's your problem to deal with.

By the way, my insurance agent just replied to me that they should give you 10 days to get the proof of insurance AFTER registering. She also suggested going to AAA instead of the DMV.

Sounds like you'll be fine. 

One thing I've found makes a difference is going in with confidence and knowledge.  I could not find an actual law that said you must have the endorsement to register.  (But it was 3am when I looked.)

Go in there with the intention to get it done, be polite, don't even mention the possibility or ask about needing an endorsement, and you can get it done.

(and if they do ask for endorsement, politely ask to see the law)

Well I just got back from AAA. At first I thought they were going to register it right away, then she wasn't sure, and she referred me up to another office that supposedly had a form to refer it to CHP for VIN inspection. So I drove up there, and it turned out that she said they are not legally allowed to re-register a bike that has fallen out of the system. So I have to make an appointment at the DMV, and I'll probably have to carry the bike to CHP to have the VIN verified. I took pictures of the VIN on the engine and on the frame last night, and I told her she can see on the metadata that the pictures were taken yesterday, but I guess that didn't matter.

I told her I'm working on the bike, so I can't ride it there of course, and asked her if they were inspecting it for roadworthiness, or just the VIN, and she said just the VIN.

Neither office even mentioned having a motorcycle endorsement, and I sure didn't bring it up. So lucky me, I get to go to the DMV!

I made a DMV appointment for this coming Monday, and started looking around for mobile VIN verification services. I found one called SoCal VIN Verification Service and just talked to the guy, and he'll come by tomorrow, fill out the form and verify it for $80. It seems like a legit company, and has great Yelp reviews, so I'm going to go ahead and do that, rather than have to load up the motorcycle and drive it up to the CHP office. This way I can walk in Monday with it already verified, and maybe walk out the door with the registration paperwork and tag (fingers crossed).

By the way, AAA said that they would have to issue a new modern CA license plate, because it had fallen out of the system. She handed back the old one, and said don't get take this to the DMV or they may confiscate it. Another thing to hang in the garage 

I'm in MN.. it isn't so simple here either... 
Its not like you can open a box of cracker jacks and pull out a title and plate... I guess.. 
Sneezles61