First Impressions
The new Sigma Tour Pearl is something Motiv fans have been asking to revive and Motiv didn’t miss with this one.
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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: 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: 5 x 45
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: 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 Sigma Tour Pearl uses the Sigma symmetric core inside the new Atomic Propulsion Pearl Reactive coverstock.
15 pound = RG of 2.47, diff of .047
14 pound = RG of 2.49, diff of .053
Coverstock finish: 5000 LSS
Tweener’s Take
First of all, this tweener is considering the 2 hand game again now that things have mostly settled after my second hip replacement. So if my back holds up, I’ll be further developing my game. For now, I am a rev dominant 2 hander and I have to tell you the Sigma Tour Pearl looked great. Fans wanted this core and motion back for very valid reasons and Motiv doesn’t disappoint. We get that low RG earlier rolling core with a middle of the road extremely versatile differential. That means its neither too forward or too balanced. Motiv has the Nebula which is clean and angular so a bit more of the hockey stick strong response. They had the awesome Evoke Hysteria which also uses strong pearl propulsion cover with a high diff core so it’s very dynamic. We then just 2 seconds ago got the Venom Hysteria, putting that same cover on the Gear core which has the low RG but also low diff. Like I mentioned, the Sigma core goes low RG but mid diff and long story short, it becomes the goldilocks of the bunch when it comes to versatility. The cover is strong enough and finished in a way that isn’t meant to go extremely long but allows the ball to ultimately read the end of the midlane. That low RG allows the core to turn over a smidge earlier than the cover which creates a smooth but strong transition. It makes it so continuous and frankly confidence inspiring. Just a quick comparison to the Venom Hysteria might ve extremely difficult to distinguish the delta on a house shot but this one shot here is ideal to demonstrate the ever so slight variation of the delta in the core strength, especially for a mid-lower rev bowler.
Stroker’s Stance
With Bryan, we don’t have trouble seeing that more dynamic stronger core make its presence felt. We’ve seen in the past that really strong cores in shiny covers tend to not match up very well for Bryan as the covers don’t read enough while the cores get pretty forward. And if he tries to use the friction early, they are too strong. Here, he doesn’t have to worry about a forward motion at all. The Sigma Tour Pearl behaves very predictably with regard to where he puts it on the lane. It isn’t super release sensitive and that is something that tends to line up with lower RG balls. This pattern has a strong wall around the 8 board. Sometimes Bryan would roll it in to 7 or so and the ball gets a little lazy. Just a bit too much energy bleed. But once he moved the breakpoint in a smidge, the ball hit very well.
Final Thoughts
The Motiv Sigma Tour Pearl is a kind of ball that is a bit of a chameleon. It can be used like a benchmark in the Mid Control zone. It’s slightly less than a Mid Defined like a Evoke Hysteria and slightly more than a Venom Hysteria which is somewhere like Mid Control to Mid Late. On house shot they are a little harder to distinguish but the nuance is important enough to understand. Would you have all 3 in the bag, only you can decide that for yourself. For me, probably not but the Sigma Tour Pearl has a good shot of being the goldilocks that sticks around.
Thanks for watching.