What is a long life dirt bike tire?

I've got a dual sport that I've gotten as little as 800 miles (2 months) on a rear tire before replacing and as much as 3000 miles (a whole riding season) on a rear tire before replacing. The short lived tire was a Metzler and the long lived tire was a Cheng Shin. The Metzler had great traction while it lasted. The Cheng Shen did not have traction as good as the Metzler, but lasted a lot longer.

Tire life depends on how soft is the rubber and how hard is the terrain. Track tires with softer compounds will not last as long. Trail and enduro tires will last longer. Since most manufacturers make different off road tires for different applications, pick the tire that matches the kind of riding you do.

I just picked up a old (1980) dual-sport that will need tires before I can even think of riding down my driveway. I was buying replacement clutch and brake levers the other day and got to talking to a guy who happens to own a similar little bike and he mentioned that a set of cheap Cheng Shin will probably last me longer than I will own the bike. He is probably right. My suggestion would be to go down to your local bike shop that specializes in dirt bikes and ask the people that work behind the counter for their suggestions as well as where a good track to ride is located. Go out to the track and ask the people that are there to ride and/or race and see what they say. You might be surprised at how many people have chosen the same brand of tire for many different reasons.