Was dropping off a Villain at the shop the other day and had a brief conversation about the Venom Recoil… Hearing these aren’t necessarily selling well in our area from a number of proshop operators and haven't seen a single league member use one. The only thing we were concluding is possibly it being overlooked due to the OG Shock having a spot in everyone’s bag?

I admit to being a bit of an equipment addict so drilling up a new snake ball was a pretty easy lure. Not the best or most consistent bowler around but 2x 300 games and a bunch of honor series in a few weeks is enough to find a place in the bag for THS.

Anyone else favor this over the Shock??? Such talk may be blasphemous on boards...

Several weeks ago after watching and questioning some of my friends and local reps I purchased my first MOTIV ball (a Venom Recoil).

Definitely like this ball, my most angular pin down ball (EVER). For me, with my currently slower ball speed, the OOB surface is best on medium to medium heavy oil but the shape, carry, and downright awesome predictability demand I roll this ball first out of the bag. Ball has become one of my favorites on house or sport conditions, definitely "A NO DOUBT BALL".

Never rolled a Venom Shock but the Venom Recoil appears stronger and looks to have a better shape. IMO, bowlers are just overlooking an undervalued ball. Gonna get me another for sure.

The few of us in my area that gave it a shot really like it. I think the issue was similar to what Ebonite had trouble with on the Gamebreaker, it's really hard to replace a good ball, especially when you keep that good ball in the line up (Venom Shock).

For those that just bowl once or twice a week, there isn't really a spot for the Recoil if you have an OG Shock that is still in good shape, and that I believe has been why the Recoil is still so under the radar.

+1.  Plus if people want a step up ball from the shock based on Motiv's own chart and marketing they think they need a Rogue or Forge but in my experience the Recoil is a good step up from the Shock if drilled strong and plenty of ball on house shot even for us stroker types (little too much ball for dry house I bowl league in actually).  Completely different shape but way I have mine drilled its almost as strong as my Tank Blitz.  Not just a stronger core but a stronger cover stock (same as on T10 and OG Villain) as well than the Shock but even more versatile imo now can't use balance holes.

Agreed on all the input. Honestly I almost didn't drill one because I had a Shock.

Now after having one I question it's position on the chart. The Tank Blitz is not a parallel move upwards from the shape of the Shock, maybe the Venom Strike? The chart is a great thing I just feel the ball names and marketing get in the way of things.

Kind of makes me glad I don't have to make those decisions!

FWIW my Blitz at same surface and same layout as my Shock is stronger on a fresh house pattern, it starts earlier and hooks more, however as lanes transition there's a point where the blitz is just too early to shape well when crossing a lot of boards and the Shock then looks better. Recoil is kind of in the middle of those, but I find my Recoil closer in strength to the Shock, just a bit faster to transition off the friction so it looks a tad more angular.

^ Man, I've been preaching that to my fellow league bowlers for sooo long. There's so many people who have "top shelf" balls of whatever brand that struggle constantly carrying corners. Then question how I'm able to use such light oil equipment...

The only thing that made me compelled enough to post is the overwhelming number of bowlers who have approached me on my thoughts of the new Alpha Jackal coming out.... Keep in mind I'm not staffed but do pretty well with Motiv stuff and can make some decent matches with bowler's game, house surface, and the league shots (THS) we bowl on.

How do you get them to listen? Maybe more youtube staffers like Luke Rosdahl and Jeff Piroozshad who make objective analysis?

I must have missed the "objective" part of a lot of the staffer reviews I have been reading.


Or is it the same bullshit cliche's I see in almost every staffer review that is the objective part?


 

To be fair as Luke has kindly (not sarcasm) reminded me not everyone is a mediocre house hack and plenty of sharks on here can take advantage of the top shelf and latest tech to devastating effect at say Nationals or tournaments or sports leagues but that is a minority of the market.  Still as long as dumb Joe Q League Bowler insists a $200 ball must be better the ball makers are more than happy to indulge them as well.  Capitalism is remarkably effective at solving the problem of more money than brains (or at least knowledge).  Ethical PSOs can only do so much.  Still Motiv has a very strong line up for under $130 new imo at least for house shot so happy to live on the bottom of their chart (Hydra only ball weak enough to use at dry house I bowl league at anyway).  Maybe some day will pick up a Golden Jackal used or if goes on clearance but not like don't have other strong asyms pearls I seldom use.  Git gud I guess.