Motiv Venom Cobra Bowling Ball

(12 reviews) Write a Review
Strike back with the new Venom Cobra. This new breed of Venom features the new Top Gear dual-density weight block and new Sabotage Hybrid Reactive cover combination that is absolutely devastating. Created for light to medium oil, it provides more length than the Venom Shock and a faster response to friction. At the heart of the Venom Cobra is the new Top Gear dual-density weight block. While the RG and differential are similar to the original Gear core, the dual-density configuration amplifies other variables of ball motion that, while not easily measured, are clearly demonstrated on the lane.
LineVenom
ColorBlack/Brown Pearl
CoverstockSabotage Hybrid Reactive
CoreTop Gear
RG2.47
Differential.035
Intermediate Diffn/a
Factory finish5500 Grit LSP
Weights12-16 lbs
Cleared USBCYes

12 Reviews

  • cyafromfla

    Posted by cyafromfla on Jul 12th 2016

    This ball is the newest introduction into the Venom line of MOTIV bowling balls. The MOTIV Venom Cobra features the new Sabotage Hybrid Reactive coverstock combined with the new Top Gear dual-density weight block . It's very clean through the front of the lane, It reads the med lane for change of direction and makes a strong move on the backend. Most importantly, it features the continuation that MOTIV balls are becoming known for.. It will be a great fit in your bag on medium to light oil. The Venom Cobra will become that ball you can count on when you need the ball to clear the front of the lane, but yet not hydroplane if it hits oil. It will make a strong change of direction, but not go sideways on the backend and best of all is the continuation you get as the ball goes through the pins. My Venom Cobra is laid out with the pin down (below the ring), the cg shifted right and an extra hole about 2" below my PAP. This ball has already found a place in my bag, it's a great go to ball when the lanes begin to dry up. The ball drives through the pins with power that has come to be expected by balls in the Venom Line. If you are looking for a ball with strong backend reaction, continuation and awesome hitting power. Look no further, you've found it. Craig Auerbach MOTIV Staff Member Florida

  • dcbowler800

    Posted by dcbowler800 on Jun 30th 2016

    I compared the new Venom Cobra to one of my Venom Shocks that has a similar layout. I easily noticed the difference in how many cleaner the Cobra is through the front part of the lane and also how much more backend motion it has as well. The Venom Cobra compliments the Venom Shock so well, if the Venom Shock does not have motion that you are looking for, the Venom Cobra will be able to create more shape without having to move your feet as much. The Sabotage Hybrid Coverstock will allow you to play many shapes and angles to what you are comfortable with. This has quickly become one of my favorite balls. The Venom Cobra makes for a great 1-2 combination with any ball in the lineup. The overall combination of the Venom Cobra will fit in any bowlers arsenal.

  • Wya_Rya

    Posted by Wya_Rya on Jun 29th 2016

    There are days that we all experience and must go through for us to experience growth. The days where we fight the good fight and yet, we are beaten and left behind as if they had put an end to you. The question is, are they right? Did they in fact beat you for good? Or… do you stand back up and bust yourself off and prepare for the next round?... That’s a simple answer for the MOTIV Nation. We stand back up in the face of adversity and keep moving forward! We #STRIKEBACK with Venom Cobra. MOTIV has taken its very own benchmark piece in the Venom Shock and decided to have some fun! Not only are we introduced to a new cover stock, but also a newly modified gear core in Top Gear dual-density core. The Cobra couldn’t just have a new core of course, MOTIV just had to go and wrap it with a hybrid reactive cover. With this dangerous combination, we see a similar ball motion as seen with the Shock with the addition of length and a quick response to friction. The beauty of the Cobra in my opinion is how well it complements the Shock. The Cobra to me is essentially a backup benchmark piece in the product line for MOTIV. Although the core is a dual-density design, the specs of this new core compared to proven gear core are very similar on paper. What this does for me is offers a similar ball motion with slight differences on the lane and when entering the pin deck that can only be seen when the ball is in action. Now this cover stock, this was exactly what I have been seeking for some time that I originally thought the Venom Panic would provide. When the Shock begins to read the front and mid parts of the lane, I found myself seeking a piece with a very similar ball motion the Shock offered but much cleaner and easier to get through the fronts. At first, the Panic seemed to be the answer, but I soon saw that I would sacrifice sharper down lane reaction for this ability to clear the fronts. With the Cobra however, the hybrid cover allows for the clean roll but still provides a strong response down lane once it reaches friction. Ryan Wyandt MOTIV Staff Member West Lawn, PA rwyandt869@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter: @rwyandt869

  • mohrevs

    Posted by mohrevs on Jun 17th 2016

    The new Top Gear core in the Venom Cobra is a blast to see go down the lane. The Core/Cover combination on Cobra is a perfect compliment to the original Shock. I drilled my Cobra Pin down with a 45 X 4.5 X 60, this layout leaves the pin in the grip line and I used a small P3 hole to enhance the flare. The Cobra has no issues getting through the front part of the lane no matter how muddled the fronts get. With the low RG value of the Top Gear core this ball reads the middle part of the lane really well, not as strong as the shock being the cover is cleaner. Once the Cobra gets the back part of the lane the ball truly shines, the Top Gear core kicks in with the Dual Density weight block. The change in direction is more noticeable than the shock and it seems as though you can truly throw this ball to the window and even through the window at times without worry. If there is one noticeable difference between the shock and the Cobra, the Cobra does not fair as well as the shock with carry down. The Cobra does allow me to go deeper in the lane so long as the spot down lane is still clean enough. If the spot down lane is a little messy, I go right to the Paranoia. With all this being said if you nee a ball that is cleaner than the shock and not as violent as the Paranoia this is the nugget for you. I truly have enjoyed tossing this ball on a variety of conditions and when this ball sees the lane with the shape I like there is not stopping this ball... #STRIKEBACK Clayton Mohr Motiv Staff

  • sportshot

    Posted by sportshot on May 30th 2016

    Ball Specs: Motiv Venom Cobra Hybrid Reactive 5000 LSP Ball Specs: Symmetric Core (Top Gear) Layout 60 x 4.5/8 x 35 Bowler Specs: Right Hand. PAP 5 Over 1/2 up Rev Rate 275. Tilt 20. Rotation 50. Speed 18 Review: The New Motiv Venom Cobra is another nice addition to the Venom Line from Motiv. The Cobra clears the front part of the lane easily and has a good move on the back. I would not consider it a flip ball but still angular. The Cobra carries nicely even on off hits. I think the factory Finish is a nice match for this ball. If anything a little more polish for dryer lanes or higher rev rates works well. This is a great ball to go to when the Redline is too strong. That being said the Cobra fits very well between my Redline and Ascent Pearl. I have always been a fan of the Gear core and the new Top Gear Dual Density Core does not disappoint. I think we will see more Dual Density Cores in the future from Motiv. The way the Venom Cobra reads friction is nice and predictable. I have not tested this ball on a lot of patterns but our flatter modified house shot is a great match for the Cobra. When I want to go a little straighter, or when bowling on dry conditions this ball is an easy choice. I have a low rev rate so I could not get very deep with the Cobra but the outside line is super easy with this ball. The Cobra does not seem to overreact on dry outside boards either. The color and logo of the Venom Cobra are super cool! It will definitely get noticed on the lanes and on the shelf. This is another solid ball in the Venom Line for Motiv. Summary: The Venom Cobra is a very good Med.-Dry Ball. The Hybrid cover helps the Cobra be predicable on the back. A great ball when the Redline is too much. The Cobra has a great look and Logo. Video Link: https://youtu.be/AQ_HHcQ_gyo Glenn Wendel PBA Member Motiv Staff Ultimate Staff gwendel@comcast.net www.motivbowling.com

  • The SuperHitMan

    Posted by The SuperHitMan on May 24th 2016

    Rev Rate:420 Axis Tilt:20 Axis Rotation: 45 Ball Speed:17 PAP Measurements: 4 1/8 Description: In order for any venom to maintain its potency it must evolve so that whatever it comes into contact with; it dissolves it effectively destroying its adversary. The Venom Series continues to evolve with the 5th generation of its kind; the Venom Cobra features the Sabotage Hybrid Reactive and the Top Gear core. Out of box surface: 5500 Grit LSP Layout &Ball Reaction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J9VpyHefy0 Comparisons Venom Panic The Venom Panic is my favorite Venom ball because I love the smooth ball motion it provides me with upon encountering friction; the Panic is smoother and provides a more controlled breakpoint. The Panic started up a little sooner for me than the Cobra however the Cobra made a stronger move off the breakpoint down lane. Venom Shock: The Venom Shock is earlier than the Cobra and also not as angular, the Shock provided me with a strong forward roll ball motion. The Cobra provided me with more overall backend motion and provided me with more overall length as well. Octane Burn: The Octane Burn is bigger than the Cobra in terms of overall hook and provider a smoother backend motion than the Cobra, the Cobra is sharper down lane and because the Cobra has a higher RG than the Octane Burn it doesn't sit up as fast as the Cobra. Summary: I’m rather pleased with the Venom Cobra and I feel it’s a perfect replacement to the Venom Panic. The ball motion is what makes the Cobra special and a standout from the previous poison balls, the angularity it provides will give you different looks from various angles you choose to play as shown in the video. Should the cover not start early enough for you or you want to smooth out the ball down lane I’d encourage you to go over it with a 2000 abralon, I took one to mine and got it to roll a bit sooner and those stone 9 pins turned into ten in the pit. I consider the Cobra and great replacement to the Panic and the color scheme is eye catching in my opinion. The first venom allowed you to strike at will, the second venom allowed you to spread toxin from alley to alley, the third venom allowed you shock your opponents, the fourth venom allowed you to instill panic in them, the fifth venom however allows you to become Cobra Commander. Become one like myself. Your game will thank you for it. K.C. White II Motiv Staff RealBowlersTape Staff WhyBowl Staff

  • jrob857

    Posted by jrob857 on May 24th 2016

    Review: The Venom Cobra is the latest of the Venom Series brought to you by MOTIV Bowling. With the success of the Venom line, the Venom Cobra features the new Top Gear dual density core that is a new version of the highly successful Gear Core and then we combined it with the new Sabotage Hybrid Reactive coverstock. The bad boy will give the bowlers more length then the Venom Shock and more of a faster reaction on friction. Grab the Venom Cobra at your local pro shop today. INNER CORE Top Gear COVERSTOCK Sabotage Hybrid Reactive FINISH 5500 Grit LSP Comments: When the Venom Cobra was announced, I was very excited because I have had a lot of success with the Venom line and seeing what MOTIV did I making a dual density core version of in my eyes pound for pound of the best cores ever made I couldn’t wait throw it and boy was I blown away. In my eyes the Cobra is going to be the ball in this series. It gives me a little more back of the back then the Shock and with my rev rate it’s exactly what I needed. The Cobra gives me the length I need and is one the strongest finishing bowling ball I have ever thrown. I was a huge fan of the Venom Shock and I truly believe that the Venom Cobra is going to be even better than the Venom shock. I recommend the Venom Cobra to all types of bowlers MOTIV Staff Player, John Robertson www.motivbowling.com

  • MotivSteve300

    Posted by MotivSteve300 on Apr 27th 2016

    Motiv's newest ball release is the Venom Cobra. This ball features the new Sabotage Hybrid cover with the Top Gear dual-density core creating more length and faster response to lane friction. What I love about this release is you gets all the great roll and reaction we love from the Venom Shock but with more length and backend kick! Also, I feel this cover easily takes to changes and will enhance what you are trying to accomplish. So if you need the ball to start up sooner just add some surface to get a quicker response, if you need more motion on back part of lane, add Motiv's Power Gel Polish and create much more motion when finding the friction. This is the type of ball where you will want two in your bag! Steve Haas Motiv Regional Staff http://youtu.be/F6C10Zf8-pA

  • MOTIVmags

    Posted by MOTIVmags on Apr 26th 2016

    YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnZ_QRhl0M4 Description: The Venom Cobra is the 5th installment in the Venom series and again placed in the lower mid-price range. There is a modification from the original Gear Core as it has the NEW Top Gear Core, a dual density core which slightly lowered the RG from a 2.48 to 2.47 in the Venom Cobra. It also has the NEW Sabotage Hybrid Coverstock. Reaction: The Venom Shock is one of my favorite balls drilled, ever! With that being said I am excited to have a cleaner and faster responding Venom (Much more so than the Venom Panic), yet with similar overall hook potential as the Venom Shock. The Venom Cobra hasn’t disappointed me…even with the lower RG Top Gear core it doesn’t seem to lack length and creates great entry angle when the Venom Shock is too smooth. The Venom Cobra has great continuation as well as that great carry that the Venom line is known for. My pin-up Venom Cobra (60X5X35) is straighter through the front part of the lane, with a very fast response to friction. My pin-down Venom Cobra (60X4.25X65, P3 Hole) is the earlier and stronger of the two, but still responds to friction fast enough, it’s just more evenly shaped. Comparisons: Visually it’s very clear in the differences between the Venom Shock and Venom Cobra. The Venom Shock clearly starts up sooner and doesn’t respond as fast to friction, if anything the Venom Shock is only stronger due to the difference in out of the box surface. The Graffiti Tag is definitely just a little longer, has a little faster response to friction and not quite as strong overall. Lastly, the Paranoia is similar in length, but provides a faster response to friction and more hook potential. I also did a quick surface adjustment with 3000 Abralon to the pin down Venom Cobra, it was noticeably earlier and smoother as well as pushed me on top of the Venom Shock line, but it still provided more shape down lane than a Venom Shock. Summary: This ball has been great on many different patterns so far. I usually drill two of every new release from MOTIV. I have a tendency to prefer one layout over the other with each release. I can honestly say that I REALLY like both Venom Cobras. A Venom Shock is a ball that just has always seemed to make the bag no matter what, I think a Venom Cobra will also being making the bag no matter what from now on. Check out my video for visual reference! Mike Magolan MOTIV/Turbo/Boom Apparel/Genesis Staff Member

  • Dougbsu123

    Posted by Dougbsu123 on Apr 23rd 2016

    DESCRIPTION INNER CORE - Top Gear™ Dual Density Weight Block COVERSTOCK - Sabotage™ Hybrid Reactive FINISH - 5500 Grit Laser Scan Polished RG RATING - 2.47 (15 lbs) RG DIFFERENTIAL - 0.34 (15 lbs) FLARE POTENTIAL - 3"+ REACTION The Venom Cobra brings a unique motion to the light-medium oil category. The low RG and all new Top Gear dual density core give this ball plenty of length with a fast response to friction. Out of the box the ball is long and angular with plenty of continuation through the pins. VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGaQj8vdT2M COMPARISONS In my ball motion video I compared the Venom Cobra to every ball in the current Motiv lineup that has a similar reaction (including the recently retired Panic). Here is what I found which you'll be able to see in the video. As always, my pin down started up earlier and isn't as fast off the back end. My pin up Cobra gets further down lane before it reads friction. This has been the norm for me with these layouts. The Venom Cobra's motion was closest to the Paranoia while being about 4-5 boards weaker in overall hook. The Octane Burn started earlier than the Cobra and is a couple boards stronger. With a higher RG, the Burn doesn't rev up nearly as fast as the Cobra. The Venom Panic hooks a bit earlier than the Cobra but for me was much weaker off the spot. While the Cobra is more angular, the Panic is more forward which made it about 3-4 boards weaker in overall hook. I threw the Graffiti Tag in there just to show how much stronger the Cobra was in overall hook. The Tag was 5-6 boards less in total hook than the Cobra. It reacted significantly further down lane which isn't surprising. The Agility cover on the Tag is the cleanest cover in the current lineup. SUMMARY I ordered two Venom Cobra's and drilled one pin down (75°x 4.5" x75°) and the other pin up (65°x 4.125" x50°). I bowl in three different houses with three very different surfaces. They consist of synthetic lanes, old beat up wood lanes, and newer well maintained wood lanes. The house shots vary in length and volume from center to center. After filming the videos I started experimenting with surface. Just like the Paranoia, box finish was a bit too fast for my liking. I tried a few different surfaces before settling on 2000 sanded on the pin down, and 4000 sanded for the pin up. What surprised me with the Venom Cobra was how much length they retained even with surface. While they started a bit earlier than box finish, they were still quite angular off the back end. Usually when I add surface to a ball it just makes it much earlier and slower. This was a welcome surprise. With the Cobra being designed for light-medium oil it allows me to stay in the same spot longer before having to chase the transition. The Cobra is the perfect step down from the Paranoia when you need to ball down and retain a similar motion. Motiv Staff Member Doug Anderson

  • toverbey

    Posted by toverbey on Apr 22nd 2016

    Layout: 65 x 5 x 40 When your high performance equipment starts to hook too much, and the lanes seem to be getting the best of you, it’s time to #StrikeBack at them with the Venom Cobra. The Venom line has all new technology that still retains the essence of its roots. The new Top Gear core (2.47RG, .034Diff) is a dual-density modification of the wildly successful Gear core. By tweaking the densities of the core Motiv has been able to create a ball motion true to the control the Venoms have given in the past while enhancing the driving power through the pins. The Sabotage Hybrid cover (finished at 5500LSP) is a good match to the Top Gear as it provides good length yet enough traction to grab the downlane friction for an amazingly continuous backend reaction. Compared to my Shock, which has relatively the same layout out, I see more glide through the heads but a much quicker transition at the breakpoint. I believe that once the #purpleball starts grabbing a bit too soon you will be able to pick up the Cobra and continue moving left without any fear of losing reaction. This truly has been a Medium-Light oil ball for me as friction is its friend. Once in the dry the ball makes a pronounced move for me that does not relent through the pins; I’ve already left more 9-pins with this than I have with my other equipment combined. While strong off of the spot, it’s not jerky or uncontrollable. I can easily see how the ball is rolling and reading the lane which helps me identify when the moves are coming. I honestly believe that this ball could be one of the best we have ever seen from Motiv, right up there with its bigger brother, the Shock. If you need a middle-later in the day ball, do yourself a favor and grab a Venom Cobra. Trent Overbey In the Zone Pro Shop Motiv Staff www.motivbowling.com

  • addynyr

    Posted by addynyr on Apr 11th 2016

    The new Venom Cobra has a new Top Gear dual density weight block that will give you great continuation and hook potential on the back end. Compared to the Venom Shock, it is cleaner through the front part of the lane and has much more angle going through the pins for even better pin carry. When drilled the same as the Shock, you will see a good 1-2 punch for any arsenal. The ball is also very clean through the fronts with its 4000 polished finish. Don't be afraid to take the polish off or lower the surface grit if you want a reaction closer to the Shock. Adam Chase Motiv Staff Vise Staff