This RXL, built in 2004 was introduced at Hay Days.

9/21/2004
REPLICA RACERS
We knew it was only a matter of time before someone started replicating sleds for the purpose of racing. Clones and replication have always been a hot button issue with the vintage sled crowd, and for good reason.

At Hay Days this year, the first complete replica 1978 Polaris RXL was unveiled. It ended months of speculations and rumors.

Cloned sleds, even if they are made specifically to race, make some people very angry. I understand this. They believe that clones make the value of the originals decrease, and the chance for the fraudulent sale of a clone as an original much more likely.

While I disagree that cloned sleds make the value of the originals decrease (more on this later), I do agree that their presence makes the chance for fraudulent sales of a clone as an original more likely. I've seen this happen several times, always with race sleds.

In fact, several cloned sleds were just passed of as originals this year at Hay Days - for enormous amounts of money. One could easily dismiss this as "oh well, buyer beware". But when talking about this kind of money, it's a little tough to be so callous. Image what these people (who believe they just made an investment in rare racing sleds) will feel like when they find out the truth.

Those who sell cloned sleds as originals should be called what they are - criminals. Fraud is fraud.

As to the value of originals being decreased by the replicas, I don't think this is the case. In fact I believe the opposite to be true. If a fleet of cloned RXL's shows up in the next few years, it only increases awareness about this classic sled. Collectors who side with The Originals will seek out original RXL's and will likely be willing to pay even more for them.

In the case of the RXL unveiled at Hay Days, a group of people really, really wanted to race 1978 RXL's in the vintage classes, but decided not to race the rare original sleds. Instead, they have gone through the enormous expense and hassle of building the sleds from scratch, with many safety improvements from the original ones. As a bonus, they've made replacement parts such as trailing arms and radiator hoses that have been extinct for years available.

One party is planning on racing 3 of the cloned Polaris RXL's this year. As I understand it, this party has, or will be stamping the sleds with serial numbers indicating they were made in 2004. That way, if in the future they are traded or sold, no one will (hopefully) be able to pass them off as originals. I also think this step demonstrates some real integrity on the part of the sleds builder.

A long ago came up with the following. After much thought about this issue and hearing my beloved RXL's were going to be cloned, I think it holds up better now then when I first wrote it. So here it is - The Ten Undeniable Truths About Cloning:

1. Cloning will happen.

2. Cloned sleds do not devalue original sleds.

3. NOS parts will dry up and be gone someday. Cloned parts at that point are your only choice for restoring your sled.

4. Documented, original sleds and parts will always be more desirable, thus more expensive.

5. Clones are the best marketing out there for raising awareness about the originals.

6. The originals must be documented. Until they are, it will continue to be easy to defraud people.

7. People who intentionally (and deliberately) sell clones as originals are criminals.

8. Cloned parts do not devalue original parts. #4 applies to parts as well as whole sleds.

9. Clones built as tributes to your favorite racer or sled are a good thing. Do it now before we lose these people without them knowing how much we appreciate the work they did.

10. Clones can (and in some cases should) be built as racers & riders. This will go a long way to ensure that the originals exist for many more generations.

After all the debating, I get to see RXL's back on the track this year - what a great thing that is. As an added bonus, they will be much safer then the originals. Maybe soon we'll see Cats, Ski-Doos & Yamahas all battling out like it's 1978 all over again. The originals will be preserved for many future generations. Everyone wins.

I think this is a good thing.

Come to think of it, I want one.