Get busted in Indiana and its $200 for the first time and something like 1 or 2K the second time. Ignoring the money, I wouldn't want the Class A Misdemeanor charge or Class D Infraction on my record. And I wouldn't want anything to do with cheating the IRS or Excise Police. In that case you ARE guilty until proven innocent.
We have an old 60's model Mack tractor at work we haul to jobsites on a lowboy. Its not plated, would never pass DOT, and runs red. State police showed up one day and thats the first truck they went to. We got fined. They said even though its not plated, you still have to register the vehicle as off-road only through the Indiana Dept. of Revenue and keep the papers handy. They also frequent auctions to check all the diesel duallys that show up.