First Impressions
The Motiv Covert VIP in the EXJ line will be popular for those nostalgic for the Covert Revolt.

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Tamer Elbaga (Lefty)
Style: Tweener
RPM: 365 rpm
PAP: 5 1/8 & 3/8 up
Average Speed: 18.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: medium/high
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 50 x 4.5 x 45

Tyler Church (Righty)
Style: Power Player
RPM: 425 rpm
PAP: 5 1/2 & 1/2 up
Average Speed: 19 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 50 x 5.25 x 50

Bryan Hoffman (Righty)
Style: Stroker
RPM: 280 rpm
PAP: 4 1/2 & 1 1/2 up
Average Speed: 18.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: high
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 55 x 4.75 x 45

“Keep in mind that coverstock accounts for 70% of ball reaction, but the core creates the dynamic shape of the reaction. Your driller will alter the shape to suit your game.”

Pattern
THS: 44ft, 25.8ml, 12:1 ratio
Sport: TBD

Specs
The Motiv Covert VIP uses the new Vanquish symmetric core inside the new Leverage HFS Solid Reactive coverstock.

15 pound = RG of 2.47, diff of .056
14 pound = RG of 2.50, diff of .056
Coverstock finish: 4000 LSS

Power Player’s Perspective
Alright, the Covert Revolt is back essentially with the same Vanquish core and a slightly stronger cover to make up for modern conditions. The Covert VIP as it’s called really has the same type of motion more or less. It’s surprisingly on the earlier and stronger side, despite the 4000 LSS finish. Ours looked like 2000 easily. The ball really reads the lane fairly early, about the middle of the midlane and is boomy and continuous.

We have 2 power players today but let’s start with Tyler and we’ll come back to Sean later in the video. The Covert VIP seems to be a straightforward formula that has success written on it. This ball definitely felt like a lot of ball, more ball that we thought it would be. Felt a bit of a step up from what I would consider a benchmark. Tyler was beyond the 3rd arrow, nearer to 4th arrow before he can stop it from going high. The Covert VIP read the midlane pretty strongly and still had nice giddyup downlane. It didn’t feel lazy and I don’t recall a ball with the Vanquish core every feeling lazy. This feels easily in the strong control category in the arsenal. And at least our equipment out of box felt like it would be better suited to the heavier side of Med-Heavy. Tyler didn’t have much hold in, the ball just read too early, until he got really deep and then it really wasn’t ideal for the shape of this ball as the pocket becomes the light scatter hit. Seeing it next to the Evoke Mayhem, you can see how the Mayhem just gets that bit more length and even more punch downlane. The ball feels a step down from the Covert VIP, so like Mid Control + or Strong Control -. There is a bit of overlap but the slightly added length, reading the later mid lane gives it a bit more versatility.

Tweener’s Take
I’ll go next and I can immediately see this ball is quite stronger than I thought it would be, or the pattern was playing on the lighter side of Medium. Either way, I had to get a little past the lefty track to find the pocket. Right around 3rd arrow was high flush or a bit too much drive through the pins. Slight additional move was required to keep it off the nose. The ball definitely showed me the giddyup downlane as well. Once I got to somewhere in that 18 at the arrows zone, I started leaving 7 pins. It was just getting to be too much angle for such a strong mid lane ball. I did a comparison to the Evoke Mayhem and back to the 3rd arrow spot, you can see just how good it looks. You can tell it’s going to be a smidge more versatile and why I love it so much. It pushes the read of the lane a couple of feet later and gives you that smooth but punchy backend that just works so well. I also had a comparison to the Jackal Onyx and in the deepest spot I was with the Covert VIP leaving 7 pins, the Onyx just picked up early, the core also read early which gave me excellent hit and steamrolling through the pins. Still one of my favorite Strong Defined shapes.

Power Player’s Perspective Take 2
Today, we added Sean back into the tester lineup. Sean has a bit more speed than Tyler and can roll it with less axis rotation when appropriate. Sean had a good look initially around the 3rd arrow. As soon as he started to get a little more on the ball, it broke loose. He migrated closer to the 4th arrow. He starts striking again but with a bit more of those light swishers. If he got it started too soon, it also broke loose. The ideal location was somewhere between the 3rd and 4th arrow. The Covert VIP is frankly too strong for this particular condition for Sean and Tyler for that matter. Somewhere in the same spot, you can see again the same thing with the Evoke Mayhem. The Mayhem was easier to toss, a bit more forgiving, and more of a benchmark type ball. You can also see him tossing his Jackal Onyx and had to step past the 4th arrow to give this thing enough boards and oil to get enough length. However, you can’t underestimate how it shapes. It’s a thing of beauty. He took a look again from the deepest spot with the Covert VIP and you can clearly see the lesser ball the Covert is which makes sense.

Stroker’s Stance
For Bryan, the Covert VIP played like one of those balls with a narrow operating window. He had near the 2nd arrow fairly direct and it almost felt like the high hard one. A little belly and he can scatter pins but not a lot of motion or hit. He struck a fair bit but found himself locked into a very tight line where he had the flush with the slight misses in and the scatter light hit if he bellied it a bit. It seemed to bleed a bit too much energy. If he moved in, same issue with light hits but also less carry. All in all, it was a bit too limited range for Bryan. Perhaps there was just a bit too much friction where he would normally play but the ball couldn’t effectively make it up the hill with any real move in.

Final Thoughts
For those itching for this motion back, Motive revives the Covert Revolt with the VIP. This is a legit strong control ball. It does overlap a bit with the Evoke Mayhem but stronger as well as the Subzero and Raptor Reign but not as rolly. It’s a bit of a tweener in the Strong Control part of the bag. Lots of bowlers had success with the OG and I imagine more will with the VIP.

Thanks for watching.