Enable Accessibility

Like us on Facebook
Tweet @bowlingball
Follow @bowlingball
**ALL ORDERS PLACED BEFORE 4 PM ET WILL SHIP THE SAME DAY - FREE SHIPPING EVERY ITEM EVERY DAY**

Reviews by Ryan Wyandt

Motiv Chronic Paranoia

Motiv Covert Tank

Motiv Cruel Intent

Motiv Forge

Motiv Forza GT

Motiv Hydra

Motiv Jackal Carnage Jackal USBC Approval Revoked

Motiv Jackal Ghost

Motiv Jackal Rising

Motiv Jackal USBC Approval Revoked

Motiv Lethal Paranoia

Motiv Octane

Motiv Octane Burn

Motiv Paranoia

Motiv Primal Fear

Motiv Primal Rage Remix

Motiv Rebel Tank

Motiv Revolt Havoc

Motiv Rogue Assassin

Motiv Rogue Blade

Motiv Sigma Sting

Motiv Tribal Fire

Motiv Trident Abyss

Motiv Venom Cobra Ltd Only

Motiv Venom Recoil

Motiv Villain Scorn Limited Availability

Show all reviews

Motiv Chronic Paranoia
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Paranoia... it can be a terrible thing when it consumes someone. Nothing can compare to it in that person’s mind…. It can be seen as if it may never go away… long-lasting… chronic (see what I did there). Never fear my friends, such a thing would not be something for you to bare. No, No. The same cannot be said for your opponents however… MOTIV’s new piece to their ever expanding arsenal force them to speak the very problem they will be face with once you pull it out of your bag, Chronic Paranoia.
Building off of the success we have seen with the original Paranoia, MOTIV has decided to take Oblivion core and warp it in a solid coverstock! The beauty of the new Agitator Solid Reactive cover is that it is capable of providing incredible versatility that we can expect from what we are considering a new benchmark piece in your bag.
What I have seen with the Chronic Paranoia is that it comes ‘As advertised’, and that is what I love most about it. I have always favored smoother ball reactions as you have seen in my previous reviews. A bowler’s competiveness/longevity can always be measured by their versatility. When a ball can allow you to blend out patterns and play from different angles; that is the essence of versatility, which the Chronic delivers on. I have my Chronic specifically placed aside and reserved for my tournament bag for this very reason. I have thrown it in league play and the ball reaction does not disappoint, its transition through the mid-lane does not waiver in the slightest regardless of the angle I take, more squared up shot versus opening up the pattern. Although I have not rolled it on a shot were the heads were rather toasty, the Chronic is one of the first pieces out of my bag when I want to play the lanes more squared up and basically ‘Keep it simple stupid’. This approach allows me to keep my moves and adjustments minimal as long as possible until finally I need to make the big jump.
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Covert Tank
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
For the longest time, reactive resin was only type of cover stock that could be successful in the industry since its inception. The page seems to have turned in recent years oil patterns continue to evolve as do the players within the sport as well and we find ourselves in the reemergence of urethane. We all know the advantages that urethane can offer to the modern game but we also know the disadvantages it offers as well. As the sport continues to evolve around us, it appears all companies have embraced this evolution or should we say devolution. Rather than simply embrace this ‘devolution’’ as the other companies have, MOTIV has decided to set out to not just embrace, but to improve on the concept that urethane offers. The answer is not necessarily found in urethane, but something new..

What this piece is capable of can be found in its name, the Covert Tank! I wasn’t lying when I said the answer wasn’t in urethane cover stock. The Cover Tank introduces us to a whole new cover stock that gives all the advantages that urethane has to offer, but helps eliminate the weakness. Say hello to the Frixion cover, its not urethane and its not reactive resin. This new cover is a microcell polymer, which provides its user with more continuation and improved pin carry that traditional urethane may not accomplish. This is done through this covers ability to absorb oil unlike traditional urethane but at only a fraction of reactive resin. Now add this cover stock to the Torx weight block. With the Torx as this new cover's engine, you find strong track flare, which provides more strength to its' backend motion without overly redistributing the oil.

Being a lefty that isn't heavy handed, a urethane piece never really provided a benefit to to my game given the draw backs it had. With urethane, I may find a path to the pocket, but at what cost? With this Covert Tank, I see none of these problems with the Covert Tank! With traditional urethane, creating reliable shape down-lane wasn't exactly a possibility unless the lanes were very broken down. This is not the case with the Covert Tank. I am simply astonished with this shape I can create both on a fresh house shot, short patterns, even broken down patterns. The Covert Tank filled a hole in my arsenal that I never knew I had. This to me is a specialist piece that can finish the job that a urethane piece can't.
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Cruel Intent
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
MOTIV continues its expansion of the proven Fusion Pearl Reactive cover stock as featured on both the #Redball Primal Rage and Tribal. This time around, it finds itself wrapped around the Sinister core of the Cruel line. When I got my hands on the 2Cruel, I had fallen in love with this ball with the down lane reaction and hitting power. With this being said, my excitement could not be put into words when the Cruel Intent was introduced to continue the Cruel line with this new cover stock technology.
I must admit, I went a bit outside of the box with the drilling on this one as I was in need of an earlier roll in my bag that could handle volume. Unfortunately, I do not have exact specs on this drilling, but I can give a description. With a 2.5 Inch PIN, pin placement is slightly off set and below the ring finger; CG is kicked out slightly. The desired reaction is to produce an earlier roll on the lane but given the core and cover stock, energy would still be retained for the backend for maximum hitting power. I must say, with this type of drilling, the ball has become very shot specific as it does crave drier backends to make a powerful turn to the pocket. Unfortunately, if this is not available or the carry down begins to build, the ball tends to fissile out or does not have an opportunity to turn over into the pocket. When the right shot does present itself however, this ball is incredible! The variety of pin action that I have seen with this ball rivals that of the 2Cruel. This ball can go high flush carry to tossing the entire deck full of pins around leading to the same result, an ‘X’ on the scoring monitor. This very point has been proven with at least one 800 series notch being added to my belt as my bowling career continues. With the current drilling, this ball may not be the ‘swing the lane’ type of ball for me, but it can provide me with the down and in shot that has proven more than once to be an ever enduring plan of attack.
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member


Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Forge
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
When the term ‘forge’ is used to describe an object, we picture fire, and glowing metal being hammered into a fierce weapon of war. Although this new piece from MOTIV may not be made of steel and created in fire, it was born from the very metaphoric fires that gave us the Revolt. The MOTIV Forge revives the strength we saw with the original Revolt product line with smooth ball motion and made it that much stronger.

The Forge introduces us to a brand-new core in the Detonator weight block, which is then in cased in the Reverb outer core. The combination of these two alone provides the wielder massive flare potential in powerful hitting strength. MOTIV then ups the ante with the Coercion HFS cover stock, one of the strongest cover stock they have ever developed. This cover stock provides us with great traction through heavy oil, smooth ball motion but still possessing the well-known MOTIV continuation. Casual and competitive bowlers alike will have no difficulty finding a place in their bag for the Forge.

The original Revolt, to this day, has been one of the greatest pieces I have ever thrown, and that is not just limited to MOTIV equipment, that is in entire bowling career. The versatility I saw with the Revolt with my game was just astonishing to say the least. The Forge, I feel, successfully recreates this same trait. This piece is as advertised, I find myself starting every league night with the Forge. Although it is intended for heavier oil patterns, the core and cover stock combination lends itself to your typical house shot given its strength but impressive control. The beauty of the strength the Forge offers is that, if you are faced with the heavier house shots or modified house shots, you’ll just need to simply shift yourself to your right for a right hander or left for those lefties out there like myself. The control alone speaks volumes for this piece, it can allow to keep the lane in front of you as long as you possibly can.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Forza GT
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
The MOTIV Forza GT... It appears that MOTIV might be on a bit of a Hybrid cover kick, and truthfully, I AM NOT COMPLAINING ONE BIT. The basic definition of any Hybrid piece is to try and provide the best of both world in ball reaction, length with a much smooth roll. There is nothing basic when it comes to the Forza GT as a Hybrid. I find myself having a difficult time not pulling this piece out of the bag in any form of competition.
Continuing forward with the Forza product line, we find ourselves with a new hybrid cover stock in the Helix HR wrapped around the well-known Forza trademark Torx core. This combination delivers a good amount of traction through medium oil patterns along with length for reliable continuation down lane.
If anyone recalled my Redline review last year, ‘benchmark’ was my word of choice to describe that ball. Now, I am not going to go back on this review, but I must say that the Forza GT made me re-consider my choice of word. Instead, I’ve decided to say that they are both benchmark pieces (yes, I’m copping out on this one!). I just can’t deny the unique ball motion that the GT offers. This hybrid cover does allow for a bit earlier roll than we see with the Redline, BUT it still has length and continuation minus a skip-flip reaction. With this combination, I can keep my angles in front of me and play up the lanes due to this semi-early roll to the ball. The beauty of the GT though, is the fact that, if/when the heads do begin to go, I can chase the shot right slightly (remember... LEFTY HERE) and open up my angle without sacrificing pin carry with the continuation that this piece provides.
One great example of this controllable continuation occurred to me just last week. My 3 person team, which has myself and a fellow lefty had moved to a new pair. Now this pair previously had another lefty with a very high rev rate (a rev rate similar to Ryan Ciminelli actually). Now this gentlemen decided to take one of his weaker pieces and play 10 to 5 line for 2 games before switching to a different pair. Now you can image, with such a high rev rate on a second shift shot, how fried the lanes had to be outside of 7. What did I do you may ask? Enter the Forza GT my friends. With the controlled continuation, I was able to inch myself in to about 12 at lay down and simple allow the ball to drift out to 6 or 7 at about 43 feet. Once this piece hit that spot, it didn’t make a quick snap for the head pin, a smooth transition with no loss of hitting power, and 10 strikes later.. I start off with a 289 (Hey.. a 7 Pin is still my best friend regardless of what piece).

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Hydra
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Well Hello MOTIV Nation! It has been some time since I last emerged with the good word for you all. In my time away, I must say that I have found the true secret to supremacy. The true answer to best solidify a legacy within bowling. It comes from a weapon that is as clean as it is angular down lane. Some may consider this to be just another entry level piece for MOTIV, but they would be greatly mistaken. I have two words for you…. HAIL HYDRA! (Sorry Avenger fans…. MOTIV has given me no choice…)

MOTIV has chosen to bring back the classic Halogen core and give it a bit of an upgrade with use of the angular Hexion cover stock. This piece is so clean down the lane, it may force Mr. Clean into retirement (sorry… horrible... horrible joke...). The Hydra is a perfect piece when the front become thing of nightmares thanks to the Hexion cover, which will provide you with the length you need. We cannot forget about the Halogen core in this scenario as it provides an incredibly controllable reaction but still maintain reliable continuation down lane. But wait… there’s more! The Hydra is just for the beat-up fronts scenario; One thing I like to do with this ball is to square up on a pattern. It situations where I can’t quite get comfortable opening up my angles, I can take out the Hydra and simply close down my angles and keep the lane in front of me. This may be considered a lighter oil pattern piece, but man is this a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Jackal Carnage Jackal USBC Approval Revoked
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
If you want to talk about the name of a bowling ball spelling out what its’ intend will be on the lane, the Jackal Carnage does just that. In terms of what this piece does on the lane and when it makes contact with the pin, it causes complete carnage! When a piece is introduced with the type of power like this; that is the least you can expect right?! Although, this is a follow up to the already powerful Jackal, the Carnage is a whole new breed of its own. The Carnage contains more hook potential, but yet displays unexpected control and continuation down lane.
This has been a ball I have been waiting on for some time now I must admit. What I love about the Carnage is the fact that it’s consider almost a re-birth of the Raptor Talon but much stronger and aggressive on the lanes. The Carnage actually provides me with the aggressive cover stock and heavy core that I like but more on the smoother side where the original Jackal, being a pearl, was more angular down lane. Not that I dislike angular ball motion, a smooth arch/reaction has always been by bread and butter. I actually have by Carnage drilled similar to my original Jack, which placed the PIN right above the bridge of my fingers and the CG and MASS being kick out to the left. Now, when rolling them both at the same target and feet position, the original does seem stronger based off the ball motion. When you take into consideration the type of ball reactions, the original is more angular down lane. Once I began toying around with the different lines and angular, the true nature of the Carnage was able to shine through as the ball began grabbing the lane as if it had teeth where the original would then to go a pitch longer down lane and the corners began to appear.
If you need an aggressive cover and heavy weight block, the Carnage delivers. If you need high hook potential but prefer control and continuation, the Carnage delivers in all 3 departments! What are you waiting for?!?! The moon is out and the lanes are waiting, it’s time to go #ONTHEPROWL!
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Jackal Ghost
14 of 19 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
“How will they recovery from this?”
“There is no way they can survive such a crippling blow….”
That’s right… A devastating blow was thrown at MOTIV March 2015 when the decision was made by USBC to revoke the approval of the monsters that were the Jackal and Jackal Carnage. Such a decision has been known to be demise of many… But people thought the monster was slain… the monster was no more, but they couldn’t be more mistaken. The monster laid dormant, changing, evolving… lying in wait for when it may return and spread its terror once more. And so the beast has returned, the Jackal Ghost!
Do not allow the name fool you. You make thing that the Ghost is simply a phantom of its former self, but that will prove to be a fatal mistake on those who stand in this piece’s path. A legend such as the Jackal does not die, it simply evolves as seen with the Ghost. The Ghost introduces both a new core in the Predator V2 asymmetric and cover stock in the Coercion HFS (High Friction Solid). This deadly combination will give the Ghost’s master the ability to fight through heavy oil conditions providing superior mid-lane reaction and the MOTIV’s trademark continuation. This ball, with this new technology, in fact provides us with even more over hook than any previous Jackal and yet, we don’t sacrifice the ball continuation on those heavier oil patterns.
It is absolutely true what has been said, #LegendsNeverDie! With the Jackal Ghost. I know some did not have the opportunity to fully experience the capabilities the Jackal and Jackal Carnage presented. Some unfortunately missed out on the chance entirely. The void was there, it could not be denied but MOTIV heard you, heard US. Not only was the void filled, the Ghost delivers so much more than what was lost. I knew it from the first set I threw with the Ghost how great of a piece it is. Straight out of the box, I rolled an 814 series. The Ghost, with this stronger engine and aggressive cover, it allowed me to open up the lanes early on a FRESH house pattern. This core and cover combination allows for good angle to be given but yet, it is very rare that the ball will not generate great pin action when it does not give you the dead-flush hit. To take it a step further, I can firm up the ball speed, square up even and yet the Ghost can still turn the corner, rarely overthrown and thrown through the breakpoint (unless you’re trying to do it of course!). Just this past week, in my Thursday night league, a second shift league mind you, I rolled a 300 right out of the gate. The surprising part of shooting this 300 was the fact that rather than opening up the lane second shift, I actually had to square up and migrate left (I’m left-handed!). There was actually a few shots during the game that, the Ghost read the mid-lane perfectly, but yet there was some unseen carry down caused it to labor down lane. Despite this fact, thanks to the heavier core, the pin action was there to carry those light hits.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Jackal Rising
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
When the nature of competition continues to become much fiercer and is in a constant state of change, what must a dominate predator do to maintain its dominate? What must a predator to ensure that it does not become the prey? The Predator must change, it must evolve, it must RISE! The dominance seen from the Jackal Ghost cannot go unmentioned, the Ghost revived the Jackal line! With respect to the Ghost, MOTIV knew that to ensure the Jackal maintained its dominance on the lane, some fresh blood was needed. Enter the Jackal Rising, evolution of the monster that is the Jackal line!

The Jackal Rising presents us with new versions of both the Coercion cover stock in the Coercion HV2 cover and a revamped Predator V3 core. This revamped combination gives those who possess this piece maximum hook, power and continuation on the heaviest of oil patterns. The beauty of all this power in just one piece is the fact that it allows us to really blend out patterns to avoid those lovely water/dry conditions.

I find it difficult to come up with the correct words to best describe how sick the Jackal Rising is on the lanes. The best thing I can offer is a story of a competition I was recently in that the Rising bailed me out of some serious trouble. In the qualifying round of the tournament, all through practice I found a shot that allowed me to keep it simple, up the outside part of the lane with the Forza SS. I felt that if I could play there and stay left (left handed mind you) for the majority of the tournament, I could run away with it. The light came on for scoring and… well after multiple pocket corners and a pocket 7-10 to start the day off with a 185 in a scoring pace of 220s+… that game plan was scrapped. The next game, I decided move everything 5 boards left and took the Jackal Rising out of the bag and quickly unloaded back to back 270s to throw myself right in the top 3 of the tournament and continue from there. The Rising allowed me to open up the lane and generate some angle to snap out the corners. The combo of the aggressive cover stock and core allowed me to give the pocket away and have confidence in the decision with the raw power and continuation it offered. Even on shots that I put a little too much muscle into the shot due being slightly amped up, this piece still contained enough punch from the cover stock and weight block to still have the strength to not only to make the return but still the continuation to carry!
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Jackal USBC Approval Revoked
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
When the Jackal was announced and I took a look at the specs, all I could think was ‘About Time!’ In all the time that MOTIV has been my arsenal of choice, I have been patiently waiting for that piece with the power to push through the heaviest of patterns. Don’t get me wrong, the Raptor Talon was definitely a strong ball in its own right, and that is why it’s heart now beats at the center of the new MOTIV Jackal! That’s right folks, the famous Predator core has once again returned, now wrapped inside the new Turmoil HFP Pearl Coverstock. Make no mistake, this is not your average heavy oil asymmetric ball. Although this ball is very aggressive in oil, it does not run the risk of burning out down lane before reaching the pins. MOTIV has managed to provide a pearl that is both aggressive, yet retains energy and provides continuation through the pins from a wide range of angles.
Hands down, this ball has filled a huge gap in my bag. Although the Covert Revolt and the Primal Rage have both proven to be fairly reliable pieces for more heavier volumes, there have just been too many occasions where they just did not provide versatility and continuation simultaneously. The Jackal, the moment I began throwing it, proved to be a ball that will allow me to open up the lane with the amount of movement that is seen down lane. If you keep up with my reviews, you would have learned that all my league play is on a broken down, 2nd shift shot twice a week, I rarely need to have a highly aggressive ball in my hand. Recently I actually had to compete on a fresh pattern, which I have been rather rusty with. With the Jackal in hand, I was able to set the tone of the tournament starting off with 298 followed by 279 while moving pairs. This ball was just a flat out monster on the lanes. My layout of choice placed the pin right about the Bridge and the CG kicked out to the left. Although this pushed the ball further down lane, the surface on this ball and its energy in the back end, I was able to avoid over-under ball reaction and poor carry. Returning to my statement of allowing me to open up the lane, with its continuation, the Jackal allows me to change angles at the drop of a hat without the worry it rolling out and having no power behind it when it makes the turn. So, What are you waiting for, don’t just join the pack, its time you stand your ground and take your rightful place as the #alphadog!

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member


Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Lethal Paranoia
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
The Lethal Paranoia provides us with MOTIV’s 3rd installment of the Paranoia line and the continued use of very successful Oblivion core. MOTIV decided to go in a different direction following the Lethal’s predecessor, the Chronic Paranoia, which provided us with a smoother ball roll with the solid cover stock. With the Lethal, MOTIV has taken the cover stock that we have already seen introduced on Trident Quest in the Hexion cover stock. By pairing the Hexion cover with the Oblivion core, we now have a super clean piece with a quick response on the backend.

What I love about this piece is the fact that it allows me to clear the front part of the lane when they are a bit beat up but, potential carry down doesn’t become a concern the more I migrate right. This piece’s strong angularity down lane makes it difficult to throw it past the break point despite how clean it is through the fronts. There have been several occasions that I was able to switch to the Lethal in situations where I would attempt to open up the lane as my Forza GT or Chronic would begin digging in too early on the lane. As I try to open up the lane with these pieces at times, the corners began to be issues depending on the entry angle. With the Lethal’s backend an energy retention, entry angle became much more flexible even as I migrated more right with my target.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Octane
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Get ready to start up and push those engines to the limit people! Once you add some #preimumgrade to your tank, or in this case… your bowling bag, there is no way the competition will be able to catch up with your scoring pace. Our friends from MOTIV Bowling have once again out did themselves when it comes to length with a nice snappy response from the backend with all the continuation you’ll ever need. Introducing the MOTIV Octane! For those lovers of the Trash series and those who remember the QZ line as well will be pleased to hear the re-introduction of the Quadfire core wrapped with a whole new cover stock. That’s right folk, the proven Quadfire core is wrapped with the new Agility SFX (Skid Flip Xtreme) coverstock that has already proven its length and powerful backend at the PBA Summer Swing in Ronnie Russell’s hands on his road to victory at the Bear Open.
For those who have read my reviews in the past, you may notice that given my power-over-rev-rate style, I tend to go slightly against the grain with drilling layouts. The Octane was not much different in that approach as I decided to lay out with my favorite, placing the pin right below the bridge and the CG slightly kicked out. Such a drilling does lead to an earlier roll, but what can I say, stick with what ya know right? Although I did experience some success with this layout in the Octane, the reaction would have a tendency of being temperamental from time to time. Despite the amount of down-lane reaction I received from the Octane, the ball will experience difficulty tipping up and finishing with a punch if the ball started in the oil on an angled projection. So the question, what must I do to give this ball some life and really begin tearing it up? Simple answer, drop the surface finish to 1000. Within 2 weeks of such a minor adjustment, I proceeded to put together a 824 series with 299, 246, 279 and then to top the night off, shot an additional 279 in the four-game league for 1103. This minor change made a drastic difference in the reaction of my Octane, allowing it to grab the lane a tad sooner and provide it with the energy needed to drive through the rack down lane. All in all, the Octane fills a gap that has been much needed in adding to MOTIV continued growth in dimension. If you favor the idea of skip\flip, the Octane will absolutely be able to fill that gap in your bag.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
Shoemakersville, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Octane Burn
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
The Octane Burn is an interesting piece for me but I say that as a compliment. Although this is a continuation of the Octane line, the Burn is not an exact follow up to its predecessor. The Burn is actually more of a replacement for the Tribal line in terms of being meant for those light to medium oil patterns. The beauty of this ball lies with the backend motion.
I found that with the Burn, although too much length has not always been a friend of mine, the backend more than puts my mind at ease. With this combination, I am able to keep the lane in front of me rather than trying to go coast to coast (which isn’t my favorite approach to the lanes) and risk the loss of carry to vs. giving up the pocket. I find myself favoring the Burn over the Shock at times just because of the fact of its controllable reaction.
A perfect example, now I will say that the pattern was a fresh house shot but a bit heavier than what my home lanes lay down. When I initially began the tournament for the singles event, I choose to begin with by Revolt Havoc, playing up the boards up 5. Now my Havoc has a stacked drilling to maximize its hook potential. Initially the look was very favorable but as the set progressed, the ball began finishing stronger down lane and the 6 Pin became by best friend very quickly. Unfortunately, a slight move to the right with my feet, the ball just did not pick up enough to carry the 7. The final game of the set, I decided to switch to my Octane Burn and keep the shot simple and up 5. I proceeded to finish the set with a 260. My day was not done yet however, as I would move to the pair to my left and compete in doubles. Considering the Burn allowed me to keep the shot in front of me, I decided to stick with it. It would turn out to be the right choice as I would post up a 300 the second game of the 752 set.

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Paranoia
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
You know, leading up to writing this review, I’ve felt a bit on edge and nervous. It just feels like something may happen to me if I don’t present a good review… I guess you can call me a bit…. Paranoid… (Sorry I just couldn’t help myself). Enough with the chit-chat, the new piece from MOTIV will definitely cause your opponents to feel uneasy and less confident once you place this ball on the rack. The name says it all, the Paranoia. We aren’t just introduced to a new cover stock, but a whole new core to go along with it in the Oblivion core. Wrapped around the Oblivion, we find the new Agitator Pearl Reactive cover, which provides an angular ball motion that is to be expected with a pearl cover but MOTIV never settles for providing what is to be ‘expected’. The beauty of this cover stock, it has the ability to blend wet/dry lane conditions while still offering the MOTIV continuation with angle down lane. The Paranoia lends itself to be an excellent complement to many of the MOTIV pieces that may already be in your bag. Whether you are looking for more hook than you’re Venom Shock but with more down lane angle or you many need more length than that Redline without surrendering hook potential, the Paranoia can provide the answer to both situations.
What I love about the Paranoia is that down lane motion. Although it is more angular, its transition through the mid-lane is very clean. In the time I have been throwing this piece, I have rarely felt that it would not finish and finish hard when reaching the pocket unless it was an error on my part. Just yesterday evening in league, I was throwing a Revolt Vengeance the first 2 games of the set. The final frames of the 2nd game, the Vengeance was just simply starting to turn over just a bit too soon and the slightest move right (remember... Lefty here!), the ball just would not face up the way I felt comfortable to maximize my score. So the 3rd game, I switch to my Paranoia. Now, my Paranoia has the same drilling as my Vengeance with the Pin squarely below my bridge and the CG slightly kicked out to the left. I then moved everything just 1 board to the left (Feet at 19 ½ Lay down at 10 and break-point at 7). Front 10 and a ringing 7 pin later and I finish with a 289. The Paranoia was able to clear the front part of the lane with little effort and with most of its energy being retained, the ball read the friction down lane and drove them the pins like a bulldozer.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
Temple, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Primal Fear
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Well my MOTIV Faithfuls, it’s difficult to believe the day would come when we would have to bid adios to the piece that put MOTIV on the map. I’m sure like I, many of you felt empty when it was announced that the infamous #RedBall would no longer be available to us. The ‘Fear’ soon began to develop as I wonder what would happen now… Don’t worry my friends! The fear that you have will cease to exist... at least for you anyway...
The phenomenon that was the Primal Rage was something that could not be left fade away. And with that belief in mind, this phenomenon has a new name, but a familiar feel that we have grown to need in our arsenal. That name is the Primal Fear. What MOTIV has done is taken the proven and game-changing dual-density core in the Impulse V2 core and given it a facial. We find the Fear wrapped in the new Voracity Pearl Reactive cover stock, which gives us even more power and continuation than what was seen in the Primal Rage. This cover is easily the most aggressive and angular pearl I have ever thrown.
The Primal Fear is absolutely insane in my opinion. This piece just generates angle but yet has a very surprisingly clean roll as it clears the front and mid-lane before it transitions into its roll. I rarely have difficult finding an area on the lane I can use the Fear and still have it face up the right way to carry with the type of angle and continuation it can generate. Just in the month of December alone, I was able to throw two 300s, an 824 and an 855 and if I had to guesstimate, ten high-270 games. The Primal Fear allows me to open up any pattern with confidence because the word ‘quit’ just does not exist in its dictionary. The only time an even consider putting the Fear away is when I start experiencing some unexpected carry down on the left that causes the Fear to labor at the break-point and loose of its continuation.

Ryan Wyandt

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Primal Rage Remix
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Flash back to 2 years ago, the first year of the annual PBA Summer Swing is underway. The bowling community has been introduced to the 3 new animal patterns, specifically, the longest pattern to be placed on the lanes for the PBA, the 52’ Badger pattern. The Semi-Final match of the Badger has just begun, we find ourselves looking at new-comer to the tour, Jake Peters as he takes the lanes for the first time on national television. With the MOTIV logo well represented, what is it that we see in his hands that will eventually lead to not only a PBA title of Jake, but the start of a whole new chapter for MOTIV? That’s right folks, the #REDBALL itself, the Primal Rage. This piece would spark the blaze that now fuels MOTIV as it continues forward. Now, fast forward back to the present, the #REDBALL is still a force to be reckon with on the lanes, you would believe that a follow up to such a piece would not be needed. Well my friends, you would be sadly mistaken as proven by Ronnie Russell just this past season of the PBA Summer Swing, the 2 year anniversary of Jake Peters’ victory with the #REDBALL. The Primal Rage Remix, as shown in Ronnie Russell’s hands, proved that MOTIV planned to not only build on its tradition of success at the Summer Swing, but also the success of the Primal Rage by making it even more vicious on the lanes just when we thought it could not be done. With the Remix, MOTIV has taken the proven Fusion Pearl Reactive cover stock and given it a fine tune up for better handling of heavier oil patterns in the form of the new Raw Fusion Reactive cover. This new cover stock provides solid length with the familiar backend as seen from the original Rage with a bit more bit while maintaining MOTIV’s notable down lane continuation.
There is no disappointment in this latest piece from MOTIV once you place it in your hands. The angles that can be accomplished with the Remix will make you feel almost sentimental as it will provide a strong reminder of the #REDBALL but with a few more tricks in its bag. The Remix provides a very similar quick response to friction down lane allowing for a wide range of angles that can be played without sacrificing the pocket and very minimal loss of carry. From personal experience with the Remix, although it’s overall stronger than the original Primal Rage, the reaction off the spot and transition down lane is much smoother and easier to read. The beauty of the Remix is the length it offers compared to the Jackal, although the Jackal out classes the Remix in overall hook and cover stock strength, the length proved by the Remix allows for better energy retention down lane that will ensure better carry. Do not get me wrong, the Jackal is a power house of a ball on heavier oil patterns and it rarely loses hitting power, but there are times that depending on the amount of carry down experienced, it will eventually become a bit lazy down lane and fighting through the transition may lead to bigger problems. Prior to the introduction of the Remix, the Primal Rage would be a player’s next logical choice, problem is, despite the Rage’s quick response to friction, its angularity could still lead to potential over/under reactions down lane. The Remix, as MOTIV had intended, provides the perfect go-between that still provides the aggressive backend that is needed as well as length when the Jackal is just too lazy or starts to enter too early of a roll, the Remix will provide the additional length needed but maintain similar aggression and continuation down lane. The original Primal Rage was capable of this similar reaction but was lacking a strong enough cover to get through those heavier oil patterns. Once again, MOTIV has listed to its fan base, and reviewed its ball shapes and reactions within their lines, and they answered the call. Taking an already highly successful concept, and simply ‘Mixed’ it or should I say ‘Remixed’ it!
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
Shoemakersville, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Rebel Tank
3 of 8 people found this review helpful
3

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
This may be a bit out of character for me in terms of the latest releases MOTIV has graced us with my friends, the Rebel Tank. The reason you may ask? The answer is simple, and that is ‘unique. Now you must be thinking to yourself, “Unique, whatever do you mean?” Allow me to explain MOTIV faithfuls, I assure you that you will be pleased that you continued on. Now, I must confess, I have never thrown a urethane cover stock in my bowling career that I can recall. Funny enough, I have actually owned and through a good old fashion Black Beauty rubber bowling ball many years ago, but never a urethane ball. So, with the Rebel Tank, this was my first experience throwing such a cover stock.
How does one proceed to review a ball when have no past experiences with a urethane cover? All you can do is go with what you know best, and that ball motion and the piece’s functionality in your arsenal. I have always been a huge advocate for smooth arc ball motion, to me it is so much easier to predict. From a competition standpoint, I feel smooth arc is the way go in order to keep the shot in front of you. Now this can be quite difficult to do the shorter and/or the more burnt the shot becomes. Now I must admit, with the bowling style I have, keeping the shot in front of me with a reactive resin is manageable. With the introduction of the Rebel Tank, however, there is now a new dimension that must be considered. One of the smartest moves MOTIV has taken in my opinion with the Rebel Tank, is utilizing the Halogen core that has been featured and well proven in both the Tribal line and Tag, allowing for better down lane continuation that is a must for urethane cover stocks. In my practice sessions with this piece, I learned very quickly that I can easily dictate what I want this ball to do down lane and not be concerned at any point that the ball will not reaction when i expect it to due so.
Allow me to share a fun story with you, there had been one evening in leagues that I just could not get any of my regular equipment to give me the reaction i was looking for as well as carry. My scores were just not up to par to say the least. Well, I decided to have some fun and also take advantage of the time to experiment with my Rebel Tank. The pair I was bowling on had nothing but party/open bowling take place prior to our league and the lanes were not re-oiled. It is always a surprise as to what you will see on this pair. With this being said, I decided to take my Rebel Tank and simply play up 5 to see the type of look I would have. To my surprise, my first shot was a high-flush 8 Pin, I could not help but laugh at what I was doing. I decided to continue on with this game, keeping the game simple with a straight up the boards with a urethane piece. During the entire game, I spoke with an older gentlemen that had bowled along side of me for several years and was familiar with my style, he commended me for the experiment. He commitmented on what my game has been over the years and was very impressed with the fact that I am willing to experiment with a dimension of the game, that, although may not be needed in my bag of tricks, just the desire to experiment with and and make it a strength speaks volumes to my desire to be remain competitive and pursue growth. For the remainder of the game, i continued to throw the Rebel tank. Although it was not a score worthy of the record books, the fact that I was able to keep the pattern in front of me and keep the ball in the pocket and not a single weak, I can’t wait to unleash this on a short pattern!
Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Revolt Havoc
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
MOTIV appears to enjoy taking on the impossible time after time. Each time, they seems to always redefine this word. The example this time, enter the Revolt Havoc! After the Covert Revolt first hit the lanes, improving on such a piece seems to be an impossible feat. Then the Revolt Vengeance was released, and MOTIV decided to add another dimension with a stronger backend motion on top of the clean ball reaction. Once again, it leaves me trying to imagine just how MOTIV can build off of this? Why not go the opposite direction from backend, to an incredibly strong early read of the lane? How is that a positive you may ask? An early reading ball will just use up all of its energy by the time hits the pocket and its ability to carry and drive is gone? And here in lies the impossible my friends, The Havoc, although possessing such strong early reaction, still holds to the MOTIV trademark continuation through the pin deck.
The Havoc has created quite the problem for me I must say. As many of you who have followed my reviews in the past, the Covert Revolt was absolutely one of my all-time favorite releases from MOTIV over the years. A smooth and clean ball reaction has always been one of the most successful for my style on the lanes. The Havoc is no exception in the fact that, although it is in its own class when it comes to ball reaction with how early, yet continuous it is, it still displays the motion the has placed within the Revolt line. Now, the reason this causes a problem for me, given the fact that I absolutely love the reaction the Havoc provides, in recent months, my league play does not allow me to use this piece for extended amount of frames. Due to how the pattern has been laid out in my home house as of late, smoother ball reactions no longer produce the carry for a power dominant player such as myself. The interesting thing is, the lack of carry is not due to flat or weak hits by any means. There have been nights that in a 4 shot span of making minor adjusts to my feet and target, even ball speed, I find myself leaving both flush 7 and 10 pins to swishing/mixing 7 and 10 pins. The one gentleman I bowl with simply replies that, although I have a good line to the pocket and a predictable reaction, which I love, the smoothness just does not allow for the pins to be directed the way they should to snap out those corners.
Although the Havoc has not produced the scores I’ve thrown with the original, this piece will remain in my back as a quick go-to for when I need that smooth and clean reaction that has always served me with. I highly recommend the Havoc for those speed dominant player, the early roll yet continuation can help players avoid needing to give up on clean reaction for a possibly unpredictable skip-flip by still providing them the continuation they need.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Rogue Assassin
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
If a champion seemed to be unbeatable or too protected in the open, other means may be considered in ancient times, a different strategy would need to be considered. A form of stealth may need to be taken to dethrone… or… ‘eliminate’ the champion once and for all… When the world is reduced to the basics of winning and losing, all measures may need to be considered!

MOTIV has once again introduced us to a new solution for the ‘elimination’ of your opponents. An element of stealth can be found in this new piece. We find ourselves looking at a piece with a high-powered (high-friction) cover stock but its driven by a core that provides its user with a controllable down-lane motion. In the shadows, we find the Rogue Assassin! The stealth factor of this one is found in its’ core. MOTIV has taken the proven Coercion HFS cover, which is found on both the Jackal Ghost and Forge, and merged it with their legendary benchmark Sigma core! That is right MOTIV faithfuls! We have a piece that has a high-friction, high-powered cover stock combined with a very controllable benchmark core in the Sigma core! The beauty of this combination gives us the ability to utilize a more aggressive cover-stock on a more modest lane condition with a more controlled down-lane motion that a benchmark core can provide.

I will be the first to admit, the Rogue Assassin can be VERY misleading fresh out of the box! The box finish on the Assassin is 3000 Grit LSS but when you open the box, it looks as if it was just hit with 500 to 1000 grit dry standing! The first few shots with this ball did appear like the ball was constantly going to do dead right (or dead left if your right-handed). Once a slight lane shine is established on the Assassin, this one became something special! One of the challenges I face on my league nights is opening-up my angles without sacrificing carry. Many times, I would attempt to play the inside part of the lane and finding the pocket was not the difficult part, it was consistent carry. With a 70X5.5X40 layout on my Rogue Assassin, I found my answer! This layout out allowed me to really open-up my angles from the inside part of the lane with great control and continuation down lane. With only 4 games on the Assassin, I snap off a 300. The type of ball role I saw with this one generates excellent pin action on the lighter/swishing hits but also packed quite the punch on those solid hits! I will say that on those solid hits, there was rarely any pins left on the deck after the ball cleared the deck itself. What makes the Assassin such an awesome benchmark piece is the amount of hitting power and reaction it can offer but has a very controllable/predicable shape down-lane. Some believe that you need to sacrifice aggression for predictability. The Rogue Assassin may quietly say this is not true, but its actions very loudly shouts NO!


Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Rogue Blade
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Well Hello again MOTIV Nation! It is with great excitement that I am here to introduce you to the next entry into the already impressive MOTIV line. Although MOTIV has been at hard and successful work with providing us with new and innovative weapons to help us in our battles on the lanes, we must not forget some of the original pillars to MOTIV’s growth and success. We find ourselves witnessing the continuation of a comeback tour on one of MOTIV’s tried and true cores, the Sigma Core. That’s right MOTIV faiths, MOTIV is keeping the Sigma core in the lineup as it was revived last year with the Forza SS. This time however, it is wrapped with a new variation of the Hexion cover stock.
Enter the Rogue Blade, MOTIV latest entry to their Mid-range/Medium oil area of their bowling ball chart. As explained previously, MOTIV continues to keep the Sigma core alive and well but decided to go with a “old meets new’ approach with this one. The Sigma core, known for its versatility and power, is now encased with the new Hexion SE cover stock. This new cover builds on the angularity of the original Hexion cover by beefing up its strength in oil and improving on its response down lane (faster and more angular). The beauty of this combination is that we now have a versatile core with a strong ball motion that will still allow you to maintain different angle down lane.
I don’t know how else to say this, I am simply in love this piece. The Rogue Blade is truthfully as advertised. I have always been a fan of Sigma core. As many of you have noticed in my previous reviews, the versatility of a piece goes a long way for me and the Sigma core embodies versatility. Some of the issues I’ve experienced with this core unfortunately was not the core itself, but rather the cover stocks wrapped around it. In the past, such as the Forza SS, although a versatile ball in its own right, there were times I found it difficult to open my angles too much. I would lose carry potential because of the smoother ball reaction it gave me. The Rogue Blade provides me with the angularity I needed to snap that 7 pin out as provide a few weeks ago. I decided to sub in a league for a friend of mine the shift before my regular league later that evening. First game, with almost no effort, I start my evening off with a 300. My evening did not end there however, for my normal league, I move to the other side of the house and end up shooting 278-300-238 for 815. These games were thrown with my Rogue Blade. The ball was not cleaned or surfaced adjusted between shifts, I simply adjusted my positioning and angles and the rest was history.
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Sigma Sting
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
So the question that must be plaguing all you MOTIV faithfuls or those looking to break into the brand but are not quite sure where to start, what does MOTIV have in store for you? Well that is a very simple and exciting answer. I have two words for you, the Sigma Sting! This ball has no limits to how it can be used on the lanes. The Sigma Sting has re-defined the word versatility for MOTIV. Once again, championing the cover stock that made their presence known within the bowling Industry, the Fusion Pearl Reactive has finally been wrapped around the Sigma Core. This brings a new aspect to the Sigma line with a pearl but yet powerful cover stock that provides great length but still manages to provide both smooth but yet snappy back-ends.
There is no denying that this ball will surprise both the individual who picks up this piece and begin rolling it down the lane as well as those watching. The Sigma Sting has become by far the best ball in my bag and it is rare that the Sting isn’t one of the first balls out of my bag. I bowl in both first and second shift leagues and if this ball was the only ball I remembered for either league, I would be set. With the amount of energy that is retained for backend motion, I easily open up the lane as I move in as the 2nd shift shot continually breaks down more and more. Turning to the other side of the coin, I can just as easily tighten up and go more down and in on a fresh shot. When anyone claims versatility, its hitting power comes into question as the angles change with any ball, the Sting must have missed that memo. The first game out of the box, playing 2 different angles, left lane was very snappy, any shot left of the 12 board on the left side of the lane by mid-lane was going to make a nose dive for the head pin. The right lane was almost a polar opposite as I needed to play more up and in. This ball, out-of-the box, I threw a 279, only leave being a swooshing 10 with pins flying left and right but no such luck to take the pin out. Following that opener, within a month, I had thrown a 279, 290, 300, and a 280 (not all in one set of course). If you’re looking to fill your bag with that essential go-to ball, especially for a tournament bag, the Sigma Sting will create some envy among the rest of your equipment as you may not want to pick up another ball from the bag again. Go out there and strike up a buzz!
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member


Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Tribal Fire
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
We have all heard of the says ‘Never mess with a good thing..’ and of course ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it..’. Well it would seem that MOTIV may have forgotten those two statements and how excited that should make members of MOTIV Nation. Those who were fans of the original Tribal like myself should be very pleased to see this line continues on with the Tribal Fire. Taking the already proven and very effective Halogen core and placing it at its heart, MOTIV has decided to introduce the first hybrid version of the Fusion Reactive cover stock. Recalling the reaction of the original Tribal, we were introduced to a ball with length while retaining energy and explosive backend. Staying true to the original values of the Tribal, the Tribal Fire still very valuable length and continuation yet it now offers a slightly reading the lane earlier and a smoother reaction.
The beauty of the Tribal Fire isn’t that it has redefined mid-ranged equipment for MOTIV as the Tribal had, but rather it built on the definition even further. In my honest opinion, it is one of the most difficult things to accomplish when designing a bowling ball that provides length but doesn’t lead to too much over-under . The Tribal Fire can absolutely get down the lane but the smoothness that has been introduced to this ball provided a very reliable and predictable reaction. What is very surprising is the punch this ball backs when reaching the pocket. Within the matter of a week, the Tribal Fire has become a benchmark in my bag when the Venom Shock, another versatile and reliable ball in my bag that just enters a roll too soon to provide a comfortable line to work with. In that week span I went on the start off one night with a 300, followed by a 280 to end with a series of 837, not a single shot out of the pocket the entire night. The following week, although it may have not consisted of a 300 and 800, a 279 and clean 782 is still quite the scores to follow up an 800. If you loved the Tribal as much as I have but you find that it may go a pinch too long, the Tribal Fire will surely make up the difference on the lanes yet maintain the many Tribal characteristics.

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Trident Abyss
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
4

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Poseidon, the Roman god of the seas, dwells within the abyss… The symbol of his might, the Trident! With a trident in hand, the control of the abyss is in your hands. MOTIV has embraced this very myth. They introduced us to a piece that allows us to conquer the heaviest of oil patterns. This is shown in its very name, the Trident Abyss!
MOTIV has taken the Turbulent asymmetric core we have seen in the previous Trident pieces and wrapped it a modified version of the Coercion cover stock. We are now introduced to the Coercion HV3 reactive cover stock, which allows the Trident Abyss to dig hard and deep into the heaviest of oil patterns. The Abyss is, to simply put, no joke when it comes to dealing with heavy oil. This new modified cover stock allows you to carver right into the oil and simply control the pattern. What I personally like about the Abyss is that although it is such a strong cover stock and some of the concerns with that involves the ball burning up too early and lacking hitting power down lane, this is not the case. This piece allows me to develop shape regardless of how heavy the oil is on the lanes and still maintains continuation down-lane.
One interesting aspect I have found with the Abyss is that not necessarily limited to superbly saturated lane conditions. On several occasions, I found myself using the Abyss in situations where the lanes called for more of a controlled shape on the lane. Essentially, I’m referring to shots that were on the tighter side but not exactly heavier oil patterns. The Abyss allowed me to play a more simplified shape on the lane and if I experienced carry down, the Turbulent core still provided the hitting power down lane to snap out the corners. The Trident Abyss is an absolute must for the competitive bowlers that struggle on the heavier oil or those bowlers who face tighter-than normal house patterns that struggle with getting the correct shape on the lanes for optimal scores.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Venom Cobra Ltd Only
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
There are days that we all experience and must go through for us to experience growth. The days where we fight the good fight and yet, we are beaten and left behind as if they had put an end to you. The question is, are they right? Did they in fact beat you for good? Or… do you stand back up and bust yourself off and prepare for the next round?... That’s a simple answer for the MOTIV Nation. We stand back up in the face of adversity and keep moving forward! We #STRIKEBACK with Venom Cobra. MOTIV has taken its very own benchmark piece in the Venom Shock and decided to have some fun!
Not only are we introduced to a new cover stock, but also a newly modified gear core in Top Gear dual-density core. The Cobra couldn’t just have a new core of course, MOTIV just had to go and wrap it with a hybrid reactive cover. With this dangerous combination, we see a similar ball motion as seen with the Shock with the addition of length and a quick response to friction.
The beauty of the Cobra in my opinion is how well it complements the Shock. The Cobra to me is essentially a backup benchmark piece in the product line for MOTIV. Although the core is a dual-density design, the specs of this new core compared to proven gear core are very similar on paper. What this does for me is offers a similar ball motion with slight differences on the lane and when entering the pin deck that can only be seen when the ball is in action. Now this cover stock, this was exactly what I have been seeking for some time that I originally thought the Venom Panic would provide. When the Shock begins to read the front and mid parts of the lane, I found myself seeking a piece with a very similar ball motion the Shock offered but much cleaner and easier to get through the fronts. At first, the Panic seemed to be the answer, but I soon saw that I would sacrifice sharper down lane reaction for this ability to clear the fronts. With the Cobra however, the hybrid cover allows for the clean roll but still provides a strong response down lane once it reaches friction.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Venom Recoil
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
As the bowling industry inches closer to the new rules set down by USBC regarding the elimination of weight/balance holes, the manufacturers now find themselves adjusting their way of thinking in ball design for their customers. New approaches to ball strength and versatility are to be considered. MOTIV has decided to begin embracing these new avenues. The Venom line has always been a source of outstanding performance, versatility and very friendly to the wallet. The new Venom is being taken to the next level with the introduction of the Venom Recoil. The Recoil is the first of its kind as MOTIV has incorporated a new asymmetric core in the Gear APG weight block. You read that right! We now have an asymmetrical Venom on our hands folks and it won’t break the bank!
This Recoil is absolutely something unique and special. As mentioning previously, the Venom line has always been known for its versatility on the lanes. The Recoil takes it to a whole new level with an asymmetric core as its engine. In addition to this core, we have the Coercion MFS as its cover stock, which we have seen on the Villain. This combination will give its user the versatility of a solid benchmark piece but have the same edge and power of your higher-performance pieces out there.
The first word that comes to mind after my personal use of the Recoil would be ‘Unique’. I have always been a fan of the Venom line, specifically MOTIV’s legendary Venom Shock. The Shock always had a spot reserved in my tournament bag because of its adaptability to almost any pattern I was bowling on. The only issue I saw with the Shock would come when the ball would become a bit too angular down lane and difficult to control without sacrificing pin carry in the process. I see similarities between the Shock and the Recoil in their adaptability. What sets the Recoil apart is the smoother ball motion and ability to blend out patterns with ease. The second thing that sets this one apart comes from the asymmetrical Gear APG core. The asymmetrical core gives the Recoil more power behind it, which provides a stronger continuation through the pins that tend to be lost with benchmark pieces as your angles change. I would highly recommend a Recoil and Shock pairing in any MOTIV fan’s bag as they are perfect complements of one another.

Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Motiv Villain Scorn Limited Availability
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
237
PAP:
Not set
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Left Handed
Sport Shot Average:
Not set
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
In most hero adventures, the villain of the story is always a formidable adversary and most will call for the villain’s defeat. There are those select few who aren’t on the hero’s side, those who praise the villain. These same people, especially MOTIV, also know the truth as to what is to follow is initially defeated… or believe to have been beaten. The villain is left feeling they were made a mockery of…. Left scorned… which makes a villain that much more dangerous! A Villain Scorn is something that is not easily trifled with and MOTIV has embraced this very belief.

The Villain Scorn kicks it up a notch as it builds on the newly created Villain line. The Scorn takes drilling versatility that was seen in the original Villain and introduces a new level of angularity and strong track flare. We already see impressive down lane angle and energy retention with the Sinister core, but now the Scorn pairs this core with the latest Hexion SE Reactive cover stock. This cover stock gives the Scorn enhanced length with a very fast response to friction down lane.

Since the inception of the Villain and revival of the Sinister core, I have been one happy camper as this core was amount my top 3 favorites from MOTIV. To see MOTIV to continue to expand on what can be done with this core just adds to my excitement. The Villain Scorn has been well received with my initial impression of the ball. As you have seen in my previous reviews, I tend to lean more toward PIN down drillings in my equipment as I prefer the smoother, more predictable ball reactions. My Villain Scorn is no different with this approach and it is an excellent pairing. I can see angularity from the Scorn but with the pin down drilling, it manages to smooth it out with the earlier roll but there is no loss in continuation down lane. Although it has such a strong ball motion, with my drilling paired with the Scorn, I see a clean reaction from the front part all the way to the back part of the lane. This type of reaction makes the Scorn a perfect go-to when the original Villain starts reading the pattern to early and I start losing carry due to the shape I’m trying to create down lane. The clean reaction, although it reads the lane on the earlier side, it is still able to clear the front part of the lane and give me the ball motion I like.
Ryan Wyandt
MOTIV Staff Member
West Lawn, PA
[email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

Was this comment helpful? yes no
Showing comments 1-26 of 26
Click here to shop smart deals Need Help? Click here to access our contact information. Pyramid Promo 2025 1000's of FREE Tips and Articles
WeeklyContestText Click here to shop all Hammer Bowling Balls