The "built for Dani" agenda is more speculation than fact. They rode the same bike and Dani dominated, that's not debatable. I'm not sure I see why today's Dovi is "far better" than he was in his HRC days, relative to DP.
Where there is smoke, there is fire and since Dani's arrival (and prior to Puig's departure) it was well reported that Honda designed the bike with Dani in mind as they saw him as future star (along with Repsol monies no doubt adding the incentive on which one to prioritise).
As for Dovi being better today, whilst it is opinion I do believe that he has gotten better as the years progressed (said when he left HRC and will say it again - his being forced out made him re-evaluate and he has stepped up massively from that day). In much the same way people say that Stoner did not test himself by backward steps, Dovi went backwards and now powers forwards and is a far better rider.
Better than Dani today - opnion only - not sure but for mine, he is as close as gnats .... at the present moment to Dani.
So no point replacing Dani with him then. We agree.
Never said there was did I?
What I do say is that Dani (as with all factory riders) has at his disposal resources that non-factory riders just do not have (technicians, r&d, dollars and what not) and with this in mind, to judge one against a rider such as Cal is somewhat 'tempered' by the available equipment.
FWIW I will say now, that today I reckon Cal and Dani are closer matched than many think (4 podiums v 8 in the last 2 years) but so far in 2017 Dani is the better in result terms
I disagree, in fact I think the main reason he hasn't won a title yet is because the Honda isn't ideal for his style, and his size is a limitation in dominating that type of bike. He was imperial in the "ride on rails" 250 cc machines for a reason. He won't beat MM on a Honda over a season, should have tried to get on a factory Yamaha .
IMO here but no doubt his size is a limiting factor and now with Marquez, the bike is going further from the 'pedrocycle' of years past. Basically, I feel his chances with Honda have gone and he will never win a title with Honda unless there are exceptional circumstances as (and I know you rate him higher than I) for me, he is the 4th best rider at best in today's field (Vinales, Rossi, Marquez in no order, and close with Dovi and Cal).
I would suggest that it is likely that if he had gone direct to Yamaha in 2006 , at a time that VR was assisting to develop the Yamaha into the brilliant machine it was to come, with high corner speed and ride on rails approach, then for me we may be talking differently of DP as he could have used his high corner speed 250 style to better advantage.
