in my opinion, and i could be way wrong, but:
i ran a motoz tractionator x-circuit (intermediate tire) rear for a bit (a few weeks - i ride every day in the summer..for 2-3 hours). it's great for roots and rocks, and for very dry conditions. i bought it so i could run 90/10 dirt/street (i was killing tires (s12/m12/mx31/mx51) riding transfer roads to trails..) - it showed almost no wear after a few weeks of riding. it sucks in the wet, and slides all over the place.. it kinda acts like a trials tire, but not as much grip, but you get more cornering ability (agressive side knobs) and it brake slides way better than a trials tire.. they are very very directional, so flipping them around may or may not work to extend life. i didn't run the motoz tire in any races, nor would i...
if you are looking for a long lasting tire, and are not a super aggressive rider, these are it. if you're looking for trials like performance, just get a trials tire. the only advantage it has over trials tires is it corners better. but it doesn't grab like a trials tire, and it sucks just like a trials tire does in the wet. it does not perform great in loose stuff (although a bit better than trials tires do..). if you normally run s12 rear or mx31 rear you will notice it does not have the same kind of traction. it lasts longer than a 952, and gets better traction, but that's not saying alot.....
motoz tires seems to have a very very specific purpose. long life and very dry conditions. it's halfway between a trials tire and a 952 i would say. if you don't wanna change tires all the time, this is a good one, but you are gonna sacrifice traction...
of course this is just my opinion... from the hype it seemed like this was some new amazing tire. it is not. i'm much happier buying lots of s12's and getting the traction, then buying one motoz tire and suffering. if you're mostly a trail rider, and you don't ride overly fast, and are looking for bang for the buck, the motoz is a better tire than a 952... it looks aggressive, but in the real world it rides like a really good dual sport tire.
tires i've tried last few years in the rear (i have a bunch of bikes, so i get to try different tires out all the time..)
motoz tractionator
mx31
mx51
s12
m12
952
756
mitas trials
dunlop trials
michelin trials
the only tires i wouldn't buy again are:
952 (motoz is better)
756 (no longer available... mx51 is the replacement)
motoz (s12/m12 are better tires)
mx51 (it wore out in a weekend... everyone says they last, my experience was not good)
i'm sticking with getting 2 races out of an s12 (flip each race). ends up costing bunches more, but the traction is worth it.
if i was gonna ride a dual sport thing, i'd put the motoz tire back on..other than that it just sits. i was thinking of selling it...
terrain here is roots and lotsa lotsa rocks, soft and hardpack, mud, etc. no clay, and no sand. and i'm a more brawn than brains rider...i need a tire that will get me out of trouble when i pick a bad line.
i run a pirelli scorpion xc front tire. it replaced the mt44. i really like the xc, but some don't like how it tracks in tight ruts (it wants to climb the sides..) - i was sceptical of the tire at first, because it's dot rated, which to me, generally means it's gonna suck. i was recommended the pirelli by a guy who swears by them (and is a very fast rider......with lotsa years of gncc racing..)