Here's my line-of-credit's worth on this topic:
A lot of - if not most of - products from Japanese companies are top notch quality. A lot of - if not most of - those top notch quality products from Japan are high priced, relatively. With regards to Honda portable generators that have been top notch quality (and sometimes technology) for years ... due to manufacturing efficiency improvements and the spread of technologies ... their generator high prices are probably now overly so, and are allowing them to be mostly cash cow products for Honda.
It's time for Honda to drop noise levels even lower and/or add fuel injection (or instead add knob-adjustable jet size for altitude convenience) .......... OR LOWER PRICES.