I sent an email to the Washington State Patrol regarding licensing a Chinese bike. Here is an excerpt from the very timely reply I received from the WSP (email:
equipment@wsp.wa.gov):
"To be operated on public roadways of Washington State, motorcycles must meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), including being originally manufactured for use on public roadways or as a dual sport bike.
Please contact our Vehicle Identification (VIN) helpdesk (509-249-6731) for inspection procedures for vehicles (includes motorcycles) purchased from another country - there may be some specific paperwork requirements you need to know about.
Many of the Chinese-made bikes do not comply with FMVSS. If you would like a packet of information on motorcycle requirements sent to you, please provide your mailing address."
I requested the information packet and am waiting to receive that information. The WSP emailed me today to let me know the packet was to be mailed out this morning.
I will post any additional useful information as I receive or discover it. If anyone else has information on registration in WA, please feel free to add on.
Rowland