Venom Strike – Layout 4 ½ X 4

MOTIV’s current goal is to release bowling balls that will be able to provide bowlers with an arsenal of equipment to combat all conditions. 

Description:  The Venom Strike is going to be an addition to the lower mid-price range, but with much higher expectations.  The coverstock on the Venom Strike is a modified version from the popular Sigma Tour and has been renamed the Atomix Arc Solid Reactive.  This shell is known being dependable and versatile.  For the core, MOTIV brought back the highly requested Gear Core from the GT1.  The Gear Core provides easy revs and a low flare potential for down lane control.

Reaction:  In my opinion the Venom Strike is stronger than advertised, but only up front and in the mid-lane, it is still very tame and smooth when going into the roll phase.  For me, this filled in a gap where a lot of high performance and similar lower RG equipment have more backend and higher flare potential.  At the box finish (3000 grit sanded) I found that it allowed me to square up or play more down and in on a 41’ house shot.   After adding polish it did give me more motion in the backend but also forced me to just move my feet a few boards right.   I was happy to see the polish didn’t force me to play more left to right or make the break point uncontrollable.  I can see this ball being a stud on conditions where you see a more wet/dry condition as it will blend the pattern very well!

Comparisons:  When a ball such as the Sigma Hybrid is too early, but you don’t want to get away from the smooth and predictable backend motion the Venom Strike is a winner.  This is an ideal ball for those who struggle in transition and feel that whenever they ball down they lose the pocket because of too much downlane hook.  I found that when a ball such as the Thrash is too long and isn’t starting up soon enough the Venom Strike was a great matchup.  Although the Thrash provided more backend motion, the overall hook potential went to the Venom Strike.  The Venom Strike provides a strong arcing motion that is ideal for control on tougher conditions, even more so than the Thrash.  Depending on the surface you choose, the Venom Strike could fit into many different areas of your arsenal.

Summary:  The Venom Strike is a ball that for the price a lot of people should invest.  I believe depending on the layout and surface bowlers will be able to use this on everything but the heaviest or driest conditions. For those who haven’t yet tried a MOTIV piece this is a great one to try.  It will provide a moderate hook potential and a lot of control down the lane!

YouTube Video:
MOTIV Staff Member - Mike Magolan

The Motiv Venom Strike!! A very affordable, efficient, and reliable addition to the Motiv family of balls, with the orange and blue look with the infamous Motiv logo and snake head with fangs coming at you, this balls is venomous for the pins. With the modified coverstock the Motiv Sigma Tour, and gear core used in the previous GT-1 bowling ball, this core is very versatile, and very easy to control, a very simple core, Motiv went back the the symetrical core choice. This ball out of the box was actually fairly early for me, but with polish and some slight surface altering, made this ball a good amount longer, but very smooth and crisp. This ball as a nice continuation to it as well, helping to fight off those corners and keep the ball strong and energized through the pins. Love this addition to line of Motiv products, I have actually been able to use this ball on most conditions I have bowled on, I have to say, loving it! Can't wait to use it again. This is a mid-low range priced bowling ball, so it is very affordable for any bowlers budget, give it a try, you will have no regrets.

Elliot Ten

Motiv Staff Member

Venom Strike

BALL SPECS
Pin Length: 2.75”
Starting Top Weight: 2.8
Ball Weight: 15.2

DRILL PATTERN
Layout: 65x3.75x35

BOWLER STYLE
Rev Rate: 300
Ball Speed: 17mph
PAP/Track: 4 7/8 & 1 1/4 up
Rotation: 30-40
Tilt: 10

SURFACE PREP
Grit: 3000
Type: (Matte, Polish, Sanded): Sanded

LANE CONDITION
Length: 41'
Volume: Medium/Heavy
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS

BALL REACTION (1 to 10 Scale) 10 highest/most
Length: 7
Back End: 7
Overall Hook: 7
Midlane Read: 7
Breakpoint Shape: 7

COMMENTS

Likes: Another eye catcher from MOTIV! The Venom Strike from MOTIV features the GEAR core and the new Atomix Arc Solid Reactive cover which is a variation of the cover MOTIV has used on their highly successful Sigma line. I really like the way this ball rolls and it reminds me a lot of my Sigma Hybrid. Consistent reaction and easy to read what the lanes are giving you. I feel like a broken record anymore by saying this but the midlane read is so well with this ball (and all MOTIV balls really) that it makes this such a versatile piece of equipment. On a fresh THS with med/heavy oil I play more direct then make small adjustments left as the lanes start to break down. I consider the overall motion smooth on fresh and on medium to medium/dry this ball will give you a more defined arc in the backend motion especially if you alter the surface some. The Venom Strike will be a very versatile ball for med to high rev players looking for a strong but consistent roll and a ball that will “blend” the oil pattern especially on your THS. Lower rev players will want to adjust surface down on fresh heavy oil and probably like this ball more for transition/carry down stages and low to med oil volumes.

Dislikes: None


Mike Yost
MOTIV Staff
www.MOTIVbowling.com

video can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_raaAwvgog&feature=g-user-u

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_raaAwvgog&feature=g-user-u/youtube]

MattyG
Right Handed
15#
PAP 5 3/8 right, 3/4 up.
Speed 15.5 on camera
300 rev rate
low axis rotation
med/high axis tilt

Drilling:  {85}  x 4 1/2  x 70  Drill angle is not relevant.
Surface prep:  2,000. Did not have 3,000 to replicate box finish.

Likes:  Smooth move of the dry without sacrificing any hitting power

Dislikes:  Even with the big VAL the ball still needs to longer patterns to       maintain its energy through the pins.

Review:  Upon getting the Venom Strike I was looking for a ball in my arsenal that could handle longer patterns.  In the past I have drilled up equipment that should have worked but just never gave me the ability to blow them away.  The Venom Strike was just that ball.  The "pin under" layout makes the ball roll up early and have a predictable and consistent move of the dry.  It is the kind of ball that you know will strike when it is at 20'.  So much equipment today stores it's energy for the last 10'.  With that comes the dreaded "over/under" reaction.  The Venom Strike is nothing like that!  I was surprised to see how much oil it did take to keep the Venom Strike's fangs full though.  On shorter house patterns I had to get very deep and spin the ball for it to store enough energy to get back to the pocket.  If that is the case, I always have the Primal Scream that gives me a deep angular look, with a lot less effort.  That being said, I did us the Venom Strike more in the track area and adjusted with speed on my league night.  League is on a 42' pattern that I usually wind up playing a breakpoint between 10 and 12.  With the Venom Strike I was able to play 7 -8 and it just found the pocket like a Mack truck.

Conclusion:  Drill this ball with a higher VAL angle and just move the pin distance to control where you want it to start to break from.  Ball will be great on longer patterns for most.  Speed dominate players can take advantage of the Venom Strike's ability to get into a roll early on any pattern.  Don't be fooled. The Venom Strike is true to it's name.  It looks as if it is trapping the pins into a corner and the strike is inevitable.

MattyG
BowlerX.com Staff member
 

Venom Strike
The Venom Strike is the latest release from Motiv. This ball provides a great midlane read with the continuous motion I have come to love and trust from Motiv bowling balls. For me this release provides a motion similar to the Thrash but much stronger in the oil pattern. The roll on this one is incredible which is definitely a direction all the new releases are heading, this provides a strong controlled arc with incredible carrying power on mid to heavy oil patterns. The beauty is that it also allow me to get deeper in the oil pattern and still get consistent , repeatable reaction. My pin down version revs up a bit earlier and provides a good start up ball on the fresh with predictable motion while the pin up version provide an easy transition for me to get the ball down the lane throughout an 8 game block without sacrificing any hitting power or making a drastic move. The mid range price point makes this ball a must have for all bowlers. Oh and the logo glows in the dark and under back light too!!!Can you say BONUS!
Rick Zakrajsek
www.motivbowling.com
Motiv Staff

Bowler Stats-Ball Speed 15.5 MPH Rev Rate-App 280 Axis of Rotation-30 to 60 degrees Axis Tilt 9 degrees Right Handed PAP-5 over, 1/4" up

The Motiv Venom Strike is designed for light to medium oil patterns according to Motv. The ball is as advertised and more for me. It pushes through the heads on fresh shots as well as when the heads get thin.  The ball revs up late in the mid lanes and make a strong arcy continous move at the end of the pattern.  In addition, the core/cover combo allows me to move deeper even though I have had the most success playing up the boards with the Venom.  The Core of the Ball, the Gear Core, revs early without a lot of flair. I am able up to play up the boards, or swing it out to the dry until their is no longer enough head oil to get it down the lane.  I am also able to tug the ball into the soup on house shots and it still manages to carry.  The ball trips more 10 pins (and therefore leaves less) then any other ball in the Motiv line.  I have used this ball on Heavier oiled lanes with more surface on the ball and was able to get the ball to the pocket.  I think it will be a great match up for me early in long format tournaments on wood (with higher friction), league nights and on medium length patterns. The Venom Strike lets me know when to put it away as it will start leaving weak 10's and 7's on hits that look good, as well as getting into an area of over/under.

If you use this ball as designed, that is on medium oil patterns of volume or length, it will be a very effective ball. To throw it on a burnt conditions will require a healthy polish and a longer drill pattern.   With the Venom Strike Motiv has a piece of equipment to give the original GT1 ball reaction with a stronger coverstock. 

I'm very colorblind but the Neomark Graphic makes the ball very pleasing to the eye and give it good shelf appeal, though I have

heard a number of comments about the pink in the ball :-).

Dug Barker
Motiv Staffer
BTM Youth Writer
Ken Bowl Lanes Youth Director
Positive Coaching Alliance Double Goal Coach
BWAA Member
SWBA Member
USBC Silver
2003 GLBA Youth Coach of the Year

The Venom Strike is an awesome smooooth rolling ball that is very versatile.  I drilled mine 85* x 5” x 45*.   It’s extremely predictable roll makes it very effective in a wide variety of conditions. It fits right in the middle of my line-up in terms of overall hook. Under house conditions, it blends out the over/under conditions from left to right that is so commonly found.

Here is a video of me throwing the Venom Strike on a THS. In the video I compare it to the two other most recent MOTIV releases, the Primal Scream and 2 Cruel.


 For Sport patterns, I like it on the fresh on Medium patterns because it blends the lane really well from front to back.  Anyone who bowls on Sport shots know that you need to have a smooth predictable ball in order to keep yourself out of trouble, and the Venom Strike fills the role for me.

I find myself looking to the Venom Strike more and more as time goes on… I truly feel that if I were only allowed to bring one ball to a tournament or league, this would be my choice.

--Kevin Gallagher—
    PBA Member
    MOTIV Staff