Well, I've never seen a circumstance where license plates and insurance are connected like that. You have to have insurance to register the vehicle in the first place, but you can cancel it the next day and keep the plates if you want...the insurance company isn't going to call the state DMV and tell them. That wouldn't be too smart though because generally having a longer period of insurance is better, as mentioned above. Frankly I'd just keep the insurance as is, that way you can take it out for a short ride on occasion should the weather suit it. Also - I've -never- had to give plates back. Not on the bikes, not on the truck, not when renewing insurance or registration, not when getting insurance or cancelling it, not even when changing states from Tx to Tn. Even if you didn't renew the registration right after it expired...I still don't think you'd have any issues, unless you waited 5 years or something.
This is all based on having multiple vehicles in Texas and/or Tennessee though. I know some of the new england states are a bit harder on their citizens than the southern states are, but having to forfeit your registration/plates just because it's too cold to ride? That seems a little excessive...
