No, you're not making it up, although it is not a subject the dealers like to talk about much. I'll throw in what i do know, which isn't a lot.
Honda, like every other manufactuer, wants the dealers to move their product. As a result, the dealers that move the most product get preferential treatment, even though there may not always be written guidelines. Example: You're a Honda distributor with 50 dealerships and, say, 20 CBR250's. Every dealer wants at least two, which is 80 more than you have. Dealer (A) sold 600 Hondas last year and Dealer (B) sold 120: who would you send the bikes to?
In addition, the manufactuers prefer dealers that don't sell competing product. For instance, a dealer selling Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki gets less attention than a pure Honda dealer.
This doesn't necessarily get you a better deal - the dealer may get the product cheaper than some of the other dealers, but you can bet he's not going to brag about that to you (although he may wax eloquently about their "Power" status).
I know it runs against conventional wisdom, but I shop for a dealer via riders: How do they get treated after the sale? Fact is, a dealer can make or break your passion for riding - if you dread going there for service or talking to anyone, then you're not going to enjoy your bike as much as you would otherwise.
For example, I had a problem after my 600m checkup - a new fitting on the fuel return line was not attached correctly by the mechanic, and I was almost home when it let go. The dealer immediately put a mechanic on the road to pick up my bike, and offered to take me home and deliver the bike to my home, 40 miles from the dealership. The owner of the dealership personally apologized to me and gave me a gas card for the trouble.
I'm not telling you to not check prices - but remember that if you and the dealer come out of the store hating each other's guts, the "bargin" you got may turn out to be more meager than you might think.
as always, an opinion...
Luke
