Before I see your Motiv arsenal my choices would be Pride, Pride Empire, Carbide Tank, Jackal Ghost, Forge Ember and Venom Shock. Let's see how I fair...................Ok first off I have a Pride and absolutely love that ball, I know it's not in the current line up and I don't care! I do like your picks but I'm a bit straighter and on the left. So my stuff is cleaner with some back end. Good stuff sir!
Not motiv exclusive but being a lefty I like quite of few of the cores since they match up great for me but the 6 I took was ghost, primal shock, sky raptor, widow hybrid 2.0, venom shock, purple hammer/spare ball. Good luck to who all made it out to Reno!
Solid assessment on all points, Ben. While Motiv's pickins are slim, it does relieve some of the decision fatigue from the equation for you, which I appreciate.
I'm looking forward to tournament bowling in the future. I've only ever bowled in leagues for a year and am working on physical game, but I have really liked Motiv gear. I feel like the Mythic Jackal is a killer ball, but the Sky Raptor I have even used on sports patterns and have really liked it. First ever sports pattern I bowled on I bowled a 229 when I avg 194 on house. I was very impressed.
Sky raptor is good, but for me it's a little too slow around the corner for being a pearl sym. Similar to the 900 Global Zen, I think some are quicker off the spot, but it's dependent on the individual pour of the ball.
@@bowlersparadise2255 I agree with it being slower like the Zen off the spot, but I feel like that's what I need from that ball. The Mythic Jackal is what I use to have the strong right to left in the backend if that's what I need. I drilled the Sky Raptor slightly stronger than my Zen and it helped tremendously imo.
I have a Carbide and Blue tank. Carbide is much, much earlier. Once Blue Tank has some lane shine, it's a great control ball for sport shot - has been for me. Blue Tank is a bit more of a light oil ball, than an early hook thing for short. But it can be used on both. A month ago in game 2 of a tournament my ball roll was just whippy and uncontrollable. 150 with a bunch of splits. Went to Blue Tank for game 3 and shoot a 267. It's now my first choice ball for tournaments. Carbide Tank is just about the absolute worst house shot ball I have ever thrown. Which it wasn't for. But it's been hard for me to just judge it in practice, that I haven't bothered to bring it to tournaments. I just have no idea what it would do. Unfortunately, when it's not the summer, and sport shot league is not on, I have no opportunity to practice on sport shot. Hopefully it'll work on sport shot when I get a chance to try it.
Carbide was definitely made for sport shots. If you know the blue tank well, just bring that. Sometimes it’s not about what’s “best” but actually what’s best is what you know.
Hey Ben, I get your picks and I agree that the Motiv lineup has some holes/limitations when it comes to nationals. I'd make one suggestion. I would replace the Mythic with the Black Venom. Don't get me wrong, I love my Mythic however I feel at nationals, you really don't need it. I feel the Black Venom might be a better choice to control the back end more than the Mythic. I think in minors at nationals it's more about controlling the break point more than getting a ball to hook. There is plenty of hook on those lanes at the stadium. Would love to hear your reaction. I used a Jackal Amush for all of majors and had a really nice look. For minors, I struggled to find a comfortable look. I wish I had a Black Venom but couldn't get my hands on one before our events. Will have it drilled this week. Really like your reviews and content.
Let's start here. I struggled keeping the Black Venom off this list. That ball is good. But in my own experience, I have put myself in the trap of controlling the pocket with every piece I bring with, and never being able to carry. I'm more of the mindset to bring a couple control options, and a couple that shape the way I am used too in a regular league setting. As friction builds in, I should be able to move into a comfort zone and swing a ball I know will run through the pocket rather than just try to jam slow hooking balls through said friction. The Mythic is a great option to open up the lane, as is the primal shock. Focus on control with the other three, then score with those two. I hope that makes sense.
I’m bringing the blue tank, coral venom, venom shock, mythic jackal, and pride with the hammer envy Tour as my 6th. I live in the Bay Area so I’ll be driving. Since I’m driving I’ll be bringing another three ball tote and 7-8-9 are undecided still. The gem is a top consideration in case I need a snow tire
Three ball bag. All Motiv balls. Venom Shock as benchmark... What to pack as a ball up and a ball down ? What Motiv ball for the fresh? What motiv ball for the burn?
I second guess my self a lot. After watching this video along with some others & reading the comments I am questioning my purchase of both the Motiv Ripcord Launch & the Pride Empire at 16lb.. I purchased the Ripcord Launch because I wanted a ball with more length & backend & the alley I bowl at has inconsistent medium to dry lanes causing my Scandal/S to be hard to control. I then impulsively bought the Pride Empire as I wanted to try an asymmetrical ball & it seemed like a good one to start with the low 0.10 int diff. My pro shop also recommended I get them drilled 70x4x20 due to my angular style & speed of 16-18 mph. Is there really much difference between the 2 of them?
Not a huge rev bowler, casting over the 2nd arrow for most of my shots, so bringing my tank the Ambush. Practicing on previous years oil patterns, does what I need it to. From there the rest I am bringing (all non Motiv): Storm Crux (my GOAT), 900 Zen, 900 Eternity, my spare ball and...I had planned on the Storm Lock but it's never worked well for me so I might pick up a ball while out there. Any recommendations?
Hey Ben, looking for some advice, looking for 2 Motiv balls to add to my current arsenal. Currently have a Jackal Ghost, Venom Shock, Carbide Tank, and Midnight Sniper. As a two handed bowler, what would you recommend to round off my 6 ball arsenal? Thanks!
Do you think it's going to be easier or tougher for the lefties in Reno? I'm a MOTIV user and for the most part, lefties can stay in a piece longer. Do you think that picking pieces that are closer together would be best because the transition doesn't happen as fast?
From what I hear, the left is really touchy this year. I’d probably flip out the venom shock for the black venom and the ghost for the ambush to have that extra cover strength since you’re all alone.
@@bowlersparadise2255 that's what I figured. I've got the Jackal Legacy and the Forge Flare for my big, dull sym and asym, I honestly don't think I'll need any kind of pearls. Hybrids with a little surface maybe, like the Trident Horizon or the Forge Ember. I've got my Venom Shock always at 3000 and I'll be getting the Carbide Tank soon and I have the Purple and Dessert Tanks also.
Wonder how a short pin Carbide would be for you considering how it looked pretty bad in your review. Could imagine it just slowly rolling into the pocket with a short pin
I've been mulling over trying a short pin layout in the near future, but I think the Forge Ember is a much better candidate for it than the Carbide. When bowlers tell you coverstock is 70-80% of the ball reaction, the Carbide is probably closer to 90%. It digs in at your feet, and even with a strong pin, the Gear Core really doesn't flare that much. In my eyes, it's really just there to create some oil ring separation, not to create downlane motion. I honestly don't think you'd see much difference between a normal drilling vs a short pin on the Carbide. The Ember, on the other hand, appears more balanced to me. The Detonator Core is angry AF and immediately wants to start pummeling the lane when you roll it, but the cover on the Ember is suuuper slow off the friction. Again, this is just the way I see it, but the Ember is kind of the same shape idea as urethane and MCP, just a lot more of it. It digs in early, stabilizes slowly, and just rolls off the friction. And that is exactly what you want a short pin layout to do.
Motiv does make all their balls with the same cores at 13# so it’s better than some other choices, but the difference between 13 and 14 is huge so if you can do it, 14 is objectively better.
I never implied better, but more options does inherently mean more bases are covered. Less gaps in the line overall. Whether the options are better or worse is up to you.
