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can someone explain in terms an idiot (me) can understand about ABS and the desire / need to disconnect it when riding offroad? Now, I don't do "proper" hardcore off road riding but trails / dirtroads in the dry . Bike is tiger 800xc ABS. The ABS is deconnectable and I understand that this is most desirable for off road riding... what I don't understand is why? Whilst riding stony trails this afternoon, in a couple of steeper down hill sections, on loose stones, I distinctly remember thinking that I had to be really careful to not lock up the rear with the brake cos it'd become uncontrollable... a front wheel slide would be an automatic attack of "lying down with a motorcycle on top of me" . I then remembered that I had ABS so was able to relax a little. It may be that an experienced rider would be able to control a slide, a rear wheel slide at least but I'm curious as to what circumstances would make a rearwheel slide preferrable to controlled ABS braking?