First Impressions
The Hyper is a Pearl Venom that replaces the Fatal. Is it different enough?
Tamer Elbaga (Lefty)
Style: Tweener
RPM: 330 rpm
PAP: 5 & 3/8 up
Average Speed: 18.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: medium/high
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 4.25 x 40
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: 5 x 45
Tyler Church (Righty)
Style: Power Player
RPM: 450 rpm
PAP: 5 1/2 & 1/2 up
Average Speed: 19 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: med
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 5 x 50
“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: 42ft, 23ml
Sport: TBD
Specs
The Motiv Hyper Venom uses the Gear symmetric core inside the Propulsion™ MXR Pearl Reactive coverstock.
15 pound = RG of 2.48 diff of .034
14 pound = RG of 2.52, diff of .029
Coverstock finish: 5500 Grit LSP
Tweener’s Take
OK, we have a new version of a pearl Venom called the Hyper Venom. The Fatal stayed in the line up for a decent while so this is a bit of a refresh. Motiv advertises it in the same slot but they change the coverstock formula to something a bit more responsive. When we tested the Fatal, we liked it. It was clean with pretty easy length with a smooth somewhat climbing backend. Very controllable. Long story short, with the Hyper Venom, I believe Motiv succeeded in creating a similar motion but with more responsiveness. It’ll be different enough to sort of feel a bit different while at the same time filling the same slot as the Fatal Venom in the Mid Late category. Basically you get the same length but just get a touch more bite in the friction. It seems very amenable to hand position changes. I was able to get the smooth downlane motion that would allow me to play it more direct and as I moved in and adjusted my wrist position and speed it responded commensurately. As get deep, the ball didn’t quit. The deepes shot I threw in fact left a stone 8. The house shot is playing more normal today as a typical medium shot so there is response to the outside and some sit in the middle of the lane. The Hyper Venom had a pretty nice match up here. I could get lined up in the track and just strike all day if I chose. Here is a look with the Primal Shock and you can see how much stronger it is. It responds a little earlier so doesn’t get the same length and length worked better on this pair and house shot this time around. The Hyper had pretty good forgiveness in and out. I think this is a good compliment to the Venom or Primal Shock. The Pink color is pretty bright bit I have no problem with that. I guess it goes along with the Barbie craze. To quote the famous words, I’m just Ken.
Power Player’s Perspective
Here’s Tyler’s take on the Motiv Hyper Venom. This is part 2 so we’ll pick up from where we left off. For whatever reason, the Venom balls hook a little less for Tyler than for me. They are typically very rolly for him so rev up a ton but don’t cover lots of boards so he tends to be a little more square. Additionally, today, the house pattern was playing a bit longer that when I tested just to set the context. This is the challenge of bowling and testing on a house shot but we’ll keep doing it since that’s pretty much what everyone bowls on. The Hyper Venom gets downlane very easily. Sometimes too easily. It’s responsive but really needs more friction to respond. There is friction to the outside but the kind that slows balls down, not kicks them sideways. So it’s playing a bit more like an out of bounds than a bumper. When Tyler was too open, the Hyper Venom just looked a bit lazy but once he squared up more, the motion becomes very clear. It’s got that rounded boomy type shape. It looks good when the lower RG core gets going and has that smooth continuous predictable shape you get from the lower diff. Once Tyler was in the right zone between the 2nd and 3rd arrow, it wasn’t difficult to get to the pocket. If he did get it out too far downlane, it was still an issue as are most balls on this house shot. As he tested he had to continue migrating right to get to the pocket to the point that he was over the 2nd arrow by the end which is a reminder that low flaring balls will create the same kind of carrydown as urethane balls. Bottom line this is clearly a mid late ball that requires friction or more broken down pattern to be effective but is a good option if you enjoy the Venom Shock motion and need a step down.
Stroker’s Stance
Now we have Bryan testing the new Motiv Hyper Venom in part 3 of the review. We are on a THS that’s playing medium to medium heavy so testing a clean pearl can be interesting. House shots can often allow shiny clean balls to be played early in a fresh set as the design of the pattern and volume are typically acceptable enough, if not exactly ideal. With that said, the Hyper Venom will clearly be a little better in drier conditions. Nevertheless, let’s discuss what Bryan saw and that is a fairly simple affair. This is a clean ball that doesn’t generate any real traction. It needs friction or it will not really operate, as you expect with weaker clean pearls. Again, not a bad thing. It’s like a 7-9 iron if you’re a golfer and that puts it in Mid Late in my arsenal building slot. Generally, Bryan would play the Hyper Venom closer to the dry boards in the pattern near the 2nd arrow. In this house we do get a little bit of ball reaction death in the friction vs strong bounce. So Bryan could move veryting parallel in and the Hyper looked pretty decent actually. Sometimes these clean balls just do nothing in the oil but it looked fine. Then probably the best look was when he opened up going 12 to 7 with slower speed. This is where these clean mid late balls shine being able to cover boards side to side and hitting well because they store energy. It’s a pretty simple formula really, clean cover, stable core. For Bryan, this is probably a little bit to weak to regularly make the Mid Late part of the bag on the sport shots we bowl on.