This is a timely thread based on what I just learned.
My local dealer recently set me straight on retail pricing (MSRP) for a unit that isn't going to the original PDP buyer, of which I'm one. It is not that they are taking advantage of a situation and gouging anyone. Dealers have to look at the sale of a motorcycle from the standpoint of whether they are going to derive any more income after the sale, as in service, accessories, parts, etc.
Let's say that someone comes in locally and orders an FJR through the PDP program, and completes the purchase (as I did in 2005). The dealer then counts on me to (hopefully) come back in for service, parts, accessories, clothing, all items with good margin. That's what pays the bills.
Now, let's say that I back out of my PDP deal, and find someone from 500 miles away, that wants the same deal that everyone is getting at D&H. The dealer has basically handed the keys over to a bike that they make a couple of hundred bucks on (or who knows how much), and the dealer will probably never see that customer again. The dealer still has flooring, facilities, insurance, and staff to pay for. A dealership isn't going to stay in business for very long if they can't make profit. D&H makes their profit on volume, not on support after the sale (except to locals). It's just the way that each dealership is run.
So it goes way beyond greed on the dealer part. Asking for MSRP on a bike like this is reasonable considering that the retail price is pretty reasonable to begin with. People are just getting used to seeing D&H pricing and figure they're getting gouged if they pay more.