Motiv Motiv Venom Cobra

jason_doust

The Bowling Geek
I drilled one of these yesterday and dusted off my shoes to throw it today.

Motiv-Venom-Cobra-JD.jpg The ball is laid out at 55° x 4½” x 40°, with a P2 hole, which is stronger than I usually drill things. Motiv distributor Ken McLachlan recommended that I go a bit stronger than usual.

This is a very interesting ball. It’s super-clean through the front, quite strong on the midlane and lays down, rolling very heavily on the backend, without covering a ton of boards. It’s not a snappy piece, but park your ego at the door and you can stay further right on the approach and get a monster roll and impact.

I was out of practice, so my release was very “grabby” at the bottom of the swing for the first two games. The ball looked fine, despite bowling on a very messed up pair. I shot a couple of OK 200’s with it and some comparison pieces. Interestingly, I stood on and targeted the same boards as with my polished Octane Burn, but the two balls looked very different with the Octane Burn being more angular.

Later on, I found my timing and was able to play with a softer hand and go straighter up the lane. Suddenly, both lanes looked very similar and as long as I executed, the ball struck. I left one ten pin and one nine pin (bad move) at Tuggeranong (Ngunnawal word meaning “back row pin”) in the last 16 frames. Lots of strikes (and a few real clanger shots from your rusty reviewer.)

Ball impact was very good while covering a lot of boards, and excellent going straighter, the midlanes were messy though, so I think that on tournament or fresh league patterns, you could circle the lane with great carry as well as great control.

I think that this ball is a hidden gem in the market and an absolute house shot or medium pattern monster. Straighter players will love it on the friction to be able to stay outside where the carry is better. I suspect that the hybrid cover will take nicely to a little surface as well.

If you're looking for hook with control, this ball is well worth considering. Mine's gone into bag # 1!

Cheers,
Jason
 
I realised today what this ball reminds me of. Rolls like a hy-road but cleaner through the front. Sweet on friction.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
 
Did you spin the ball on a determinator after drilling to check the drill angle or just assume it is 55° because that's where you drew the line?
 
Hi Alberto,

You're welcome. Anytime.

No, as a symmetric cored ball with a decent length pin, there is likely to be a microscopic preferential spin axis / mass bias owing to the core being circa 3/64" off centre to create the pin-out in the first place, but without noticeable reaction differences. Still doesn't change the fact that there will be one once holes are drilled in it, especially that big 1¼" hole that the slug goes into. (With a close-to-5" span, that's a cert for me.) After drilling, intermediate differential created by the creation of voids will create a noticeable PSA effect. (Think of slugs revving up to the axis.)

Does anybody have a determinator in this country? Seems a bit extravagant, given the shrinking traffic and margins in the dog-eat-dog world of bowling pro shops.

Cheers,
Jason
 
Hi Alberto,

You're welcome. Anytime.

No, as a symmetric cored ball with a decent length pin, there is likely to be a microscopic preferential spin axis / mass bias owing to the core being circa 3/64" off centre to create the pin-out in the first place, but without noticeable reaction differences. Still doesn't change the fact that there will be one once holes are drilled in it, especially that big 1¼" hole that the slug goes into. (With a close-to-5" span, that's a cert for me.) After drilling, intermediate differential created by the creation of voids will create a noticeable PSA effect. (Think of slugs revving up to the axis.)

Does anybody have a determinator in this country? Seems a bit extravagant, given the shrinking traffic and margins in the dog-eat-dog world of bowling pro shops.

Cheers,
Jason
Mike Kennedy has one
 
Haha! Why doesn't that surprise me? He's an even bigger bowling ball nerd than you and I, Brenton! (And everyone knows, I have no higher compliment in the field!)

p.s. I have worked out what it rolls most like. If anyone remembers what the old Nitro R² looked like on wood; It looked just like that while I was smashing out a 277 with it at Tuggeranong.
 
Haha! Why doesn't that surprise me? He's an even bigger bowling ball nerd than you and I, Brenton! (And everyone knows, I have no higher compliment in the field!)

p.s. I have worked out what it rolls most like. If anyone remembers what the old Nitro R² looked like on wood; It looked just like that while I was smashing out a 277 with it at Tuggeranong.
He is!!!!!

I obviously need to get my nerd on and do some catching up!

LOL
 
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