I'm runnin an AC-10, and I don't know what you are talkin about it being close to the stocker. The stock tire SUCKED in the mud. I would get into a bit of mud, the tire would spin and just clog right up and wouldn't go anywhere. The AC10 absolutly slaughters the 603's in the mud. It's gotbetter tread wear, I'm at 2000kms now and they still hook up good. I probably got about another 1000 kms to go with them before they are the same as the 603 in the tire pile. Which is probably a bit longer tire wear, but the ac-10 dosn't seem to be loosing much of it's grip off road, it just digs itself through the mud. 603, I found was only decent off road for the first 1000kms.
Now this is only my second tire on the bike, so I'm talking relative to the stock tire. One thing you will hear from alot of people with this tire is that it's not great for the road, it wears excellent for a knobbie, but a little slick... So just don't drive it as a sportbike I guess.
It's probably about 30-50% louder than the 603 I would say on the road.
For a steeper priced tire such as this one, it's no waiste of money. Great tire. I would buy again.

 

The Metzler Six Days Extreme on the front of my KTM have that same wear pattern. If you look real close you can see it in this photo from today



Ok, ok, I guess I'll use any excuse to post a photo of my bike. But seriously, it does have that same wear pattern you had on yours, and you can actually make it out a little from the photo.

BTW, it was good to get out some today - I hadn't been out for quite some time. I found some new to me trails a while back and I was exploring them some more today. I had found a cool looking dam or something using Google Earth and it was near the area of these trails. My goal today was to find it, but the access road leading into was gated. Normally I would have gone around, but there was someone around there, so I was a good citizen and didn't. So I guess I'll have to find another way to it - maybe some good old fashioned bush whacking, at least as old fashioned as you can get using mapping GPS and a dirt bike. I've been very leary of bush whacking here recently though due to the extremely dry hot weather we've had the past few months - the entire area is like a tinder box, and with that incident I had last fall where a dry stick was leaning between my engine and my head-pipe and caught fire, I've been especially careful of a repeat occurance.

 

she still looks good all dirty

 

Yeah, today was lots of fun - we just got Humberto rain yesterday so there was some good spots to sling some mud, yet it was a beautiful blue sky day and the smell of fall is in the air.

 

If you could read you would know that I didn't even mention the mud, I live in the desert (not much mud here) and said that: "most of my off-roading is on the hardpack".

 

Oh, sorry. Even that.... I find the AC 10 much better in the sand as well, rocks.... Pretty much anything over the 603. Even big rocks where the 603 would just slip, the michelin grabs. I like it. Too bad it's a more expensive one

 

Look at it this way, the 603 that for the most part we all dislike.....its $130 per tire, the Mich. is a better tire for half the price.

 

Okay let me get a few things I've been wondering straighened out:

1. Half the price?
2.Best tire for tire wear and grip for serious off-roading?
3.Only slides when you push it real hard.
4.Digs into pretty much anything for grip?

 

+1

 

1. I don't know the price of the 603, never seen one besides on our bikes
2. For a DOT, it's pretty ideal. But all in all it's opinion.
3. yes
4.Very well balanced tire