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[Rokoneer]

Apologies for a seemingly tedious subject but....Looking at a Zero for sale a few states away from a dealer, but not a Zero dealer. He's acknowledged that he's not very familiar with "them 'lectric cycles".

He has the bike, an S, advertised as an '09 on his website and as a '10 on a classifieds ad site. In my recent rush to get to know the brand I understand that there are some fairly significant upgrades made from '09 to '10 and that, to me, the '10 is a much more desirable and refined machine than the '09. Basically I think I'd pass on an '09, but not on a '10.

Are there obvious cosmetic visual differences between the two years that makes it apparent which year the bike may be. The bike I'm looking at is all white, no color stripes, but has the large headlight and the cooling hose running around by the rear shock. Are the headlight and cooling hose indicators that it would be a '10? Pictures compared of the two years online indicate different headlights and no cooling hose on the '09. Is that correct?

Then I get distracted (squirrel!) by the fact the bike is completely white and I've not seen pictures or video of any other '10's that didn't have the colored body panels...

As long as you've read this far, humor me with one more question please. I really like the cosmetics of the '11's compared to the '10's and earlier. The frame looks to be the same from '10 to '11. Would it be possible to put '11 bodywork and fenders on a '10 to upgrade it to the more current look? If so, anyone who has done that and could give me an idea of what amount of money it might take to do so?

As always, many thanks for enlightenment for this poor 'e-bike wannabee newb.

[protomech]

There's very little difference between the 2009 S and the 2010 S. The 2010 has a different headlight and slightly shorter gearing (17T/61T vs 15T/61T), possibly better motor cooling. The cooling hose should mean it's a 2010 bike.

I'm not sure how many 2009 bikes were sold - I think they only really started producing the S/DS bikes in 2010.

2009 S:
http://web.archive.org/web/20090627013600/http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-s.php

2010 S:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100419012111/http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-s.php

[Harlan]

There should be a date of manufacture on the VIN sticker.  Also, if I recall correctly, the 2009 did not have the Alltrax Controller below the battery pack on the bottom of the bike, the way it is configured in the 2010 and 2011 bikes.

[Brammofan]

If you can get the VIN - the 10th position is the year.  Zero has "X" as 2008 and "Z" as 2009.  "A" is 2010.

[Richard230]

I thought the big headlight and the cooling snorkel came out in 2011.   

[Rokoneer]

If you can get the VIN - the 10th position is the year.  Zero has "X" as 2008 and "Z" as 2009.  "A" is 2010.

It's an 'A', hallelujah! Thanks everybody for the feedback, so very helpful.

Now, can the '10 be fitted with the '11 bodywork?

[Harlan]

Now, can the '10 be fitted with the '11 bodywork?

It won't just bolt on but you could probably make it.  You'll need to install some threaded inserts throughout the frame in the appropriate locations.

[manlytom]

If you can get the VIN - the 10th position is the year.  Zero has "X" as 2008 and "Z" as 2009.  "A" is 2010.

It's an 'A', hallelujah! Thanks everybody for the feedback, so very helpful.

Now, can the '10 be fitted with the '11 bodywork?

In fact I quite liked a lot of the 2010 elements.

Edit: note that the 2010 did only have the DS high up front fender. found that to large and heavy and changed with a spare rear fender... now my 2011 has tyre hugging front fender ...