Coming off jumps sideways

At the track today I found myself getting a little sideways in the air a bunch of times. I know this is common for experienced riders, but I was not intending to get sideways like this. I've done it before by accident with similar results as today (flying off the track), but normally I line up straight and come off straight.
Why is this happening?
I have been getting better at cornering and have increased my exit speeds, and I have also been working on clearing a couple table-tops, so I'm trying to jump farther too.

A couple times I was pitched nose-down so my front tire landed first. It wasn't very fun feeling. I'm pretty sure my rear tire was 9-10 inches out of alignment with the front.
Whats going on here?
Is this something I need to fix, or is this just a new normal issue that comes with gaining speed?
Could it be the bike I was riding?
 
I have the same problem on my RM, it will pull the rear of the bike around to the right. But on the same jump in the same line it will land straight most of the time but kick right once in a while. I don't seem to have that problem on my XC, I've thought it might be to much wheel spin as the rear wheel leaves the face as the rm spools up quicker, maybe it's the swing arm flexing. I've heard that I'm weighting the left foot peg too much or I'm leaning to the right coming off the jump, but that wouldn't explain why it doesn't happen on the XC. I suppose you could check the swing arm bearings, spoke adjustment and chain adjusters are even.....a disclaimer here though, I'm not at all an expert at jumping, usually when something bad happens in the air I roll the throttle back and close my eyes.
 
Yes, throttle helps
To lighten the front on impact. It's probably not the bike. If the trail isn't perfect it may be noticeable but more likely just a small cross rut. The string method is pretty accurate, and easy. As you probably know, bike and body attitude is dictated before you leave the ground. It's the mid air corrections that require skill and confidence. Right as you lift off you know if it's going to go badly, and to have the presence of mind and nerve to act or panic is the key. I'm more like Steve, the ol freeze 'n' pucker.
 
At the track today I found myself getting a little sideways in the air a bunch of times. I know this is common for experienced riders, but I was not intending to get sideways like this. I've done it before by accident with similar results as today (flying off the track), but normally I line up straight and come off straight.
Why is this happening?
I have been getting better at cornering and have increased my exit speeds, and I have also been working on clearing a couple table-tops, so I'm trying to jump farther too.

A couple times I was pitched nose-down so my front tire landed first. It wasn't very fun feeling. I'm pretty sure my rear tire was 9-10 inches out of alignment with the front.
Whats going on here?
Is this something I need to fix, or is this just a new normal issue that comes with gaining speed?
Could it be the bike I was riding?


Turn this screw counter clockwise wise 1 click at a time. 1 or 2 should do the trick.

20121A8D-8EEB-4B72-8C7E-B60BE59D5366.jpeg
 
Dude, you guys over on the East Coast are like, so smart. With so many loose screws behind the wheel over there, I should have thunk a simple screw could fix steering.

But honestly, I bet the rear wheel is bent, and when it's spinning free in the air, its pulling to one side.
Yah, thats it.


Well.....:noidea:
If the rebound is too fast then it will skip up the face of the jump throwing the wheel left or right depending on which peg is weighted more.
 
most likely because as you hit the edge of the jump that rear end isn't quite in line with the front, either cross rutted or you were spinning the rear tire, or it could be in the suspension, along the lines of the rebound is too fast on the rear shock
 
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