Motiv Lethal Venom Review
Called the best Venom yet — the Gear APG core on solid coverstock gives the Venom line real traction at $174.95. Video reviews inside.
got no regrets I'm on the run chasing the check dropping the top riding the vet feeling myself what you expect you know I'm with it no better feeling cuz I could have quit but I didn't dou when I'm on a mission moving it up to a better position they thought I was [Music] tripping what's going on YouTube World Char hon here and saw the thumbnail Man Venom Lethal lethal Venom when I mean this ball is good and we are sitting
here watching the Delaware classic and Michael Davidson making this ball look really freaking good and then AJ AJ Johnson was making this ball look really stinking good so I was very excited to get my hands on it and today we have the Black Venom and the OG the Venom shock so those are we're going to be taking a look against it with then Carson part two and part three we will look at the ion Pro and then the hammer effect tour so I kind of expect the ion Pro to be
the most sideways of this bunch of you know asymmetric low diff option bowling balls but you know we'll see from the looks of it that the Black Venom is still cleaner um so this one seems to be stronger which we've seen with the there was an orange one that recently uh The Recoil that ball was like really really smooth and Arcy I hope this isn't that and I've thrown it a little bit for a couple shorts uh and it it looked fine like it
looked definitely more than those uh and even more than like even a pride Dynasty a pride dynasty was much earlier uh much rounder at the spot so yeah man let's let's get on with the show man I'm I'm I'm curious bro and for everything you need if you want the shirt the hypo Central shirt and of course we always have merch on the way but get to the hyp bone.com pick you guys up one and then also man get to coolwick man coolwick and 12 bger they just got everything 12 got some more exclusive stuff but coolwick has like the most vast
selection of jerseys including the coolwick elite section jerseys like it's just those are some of the cleanest jerseys I've seen just period so whatever whatever you like man it's there and then if you're in South Florida get to Bolero tamarak and a bus Ed Pro Shop they they take care they take care of me take care you just match me in heav it guys and if you wonder why I had this hat on man it's like a cold front in Florida like 40 40° so it says it comes out a box at 3,000 it definitely don't feel that way
bro it feels like a lot duller whatever's under it is definitely still present so start at my favorite place 25 see what we get felt huge in the rack right there ran them all clean the deck but this is not fresh fresh like I thrown a handful of shots thrown like two games with the with the with the storm Equinox on this particular Lane U but it ain't that much
transition just letting you know and I honestly do believe like this on patterns is going to be really really good and I think that's why motive does this like they always release a shock for a Venom series ball in February or January L inside oh it supposed to lay it didn't it's supposed to though 100% supposed to all right so I'm going to step one to the right not one set it's going to 20 I
was closer to 25 now I'm going to 20 going try to get this ball off the lane oh left another four pin tucked it in a little bit need push it out to the right a little bit more for being again asymmetric solid but I I liked how get a hammer effect looks from this particular
Zone a little more into that hey this is a ball two-handers are definitely going to like a lot of control I love this [Music] one this is 100% one of those balls at if I was going to bowl the league I would hit it with 2,000 something a little bit more gritty to get even a ball reaction out a little bit but I
mean this works this works right now like 100% on a house shot think going to be fine I think on you get tougher more medium 40t stuff 1,000 is probably going to be the service I'll lean towards um so yeah that's just some initial thoughts I want to see what it'll do St one more then we jump all the way left for one shot then we start getting into the other
balls yeah just I feel way more comfortable again firing it up the right because again I haven't seen it just you know Dart left on me like just rolling off of it all right let's go to the black first and this ball yeah has a fresh was it 2,000 it's 2,000 on it that's what I just put on it got 25 first
the black vum is it's like the Envy tour in this ball and I shot some score with mvy tour so sometime I feel biased but typically I go to a league set I want to bring this black venom I'm not going to lie to you like this is this is it good I figured it might be a little bit cleaner than what we're going to see with this new lethal and I I'm getting
that VI I'm definitely getting that VI so yeah there we go th a couple shots there uh we're going to jump back to the lethal moving a little further to the left then we'll pick up the shock I think the shock is still going to be doing shock things all right so get on
30 St logs all over the place throwing a lot of them so this would not be my first option to jump left with like that's not what I'm seeing like it looks okay but I think there's you know Primal shocks and and Jackal and you know Raptor rushes that definitely get left a lot lot easier twirled it yeah on a wet dry or you know trying
to blend out the lane balls like this really come into play it it definitely can you know it I'm liking what I'm seeing from this ball I'm hoping I can get the shock to be a great step down from it I think it's going to look really really good sir EJ move you know always end up with a shock kind of like storm was saying once once upon a time all Lanes lead to a high
road oh so I got a little I think a little too fast I don't know if it was too fast right went to a cleaner cover stock and I think it just shot through and I might have threw it around the same speed but the ball because of the cleaner cover really pushed and it again look like oh man you threw it like really fast and the cleaner cover got down the lane faster if I slow down a
pinch yeah buddy so yeah that that looks pretty good I'm going throw one shot jump it to the right with a shock uh just to see what it does and then we get to the full game with the lethal yeah man Venom shock stupid still stupid it's going to be stupid to the end of time it's one of them you know like a phase two has been in the line
forever um and I don't see any reason to get rid of it honestly you just keep releasing pieces like this lethal Venom around it continue to expand get Arsenal but I like the Venom series bro 90% of them you know I've really liked the hyper the hyper venom got really Arcy um and really really smooth like the more you kind of threw it that's the only one I was like ah when do I need that exact ball reaction um but yeah all these other ones love them Coral great
all right full game if you're wondering the layout 60 by 5 by 30 it's the same layout all my asymmetric stuff and all my symmetric stuff gets 4 and 1/2 inch pin ASM stuff I don't want to start up as soon I go a little bit further away from my P all right we going to start on 25 see what we get
first shot get a Le a little more aggressive aggressive aggressive oh lay please oh man I got more aggressive and threw it to the left not to the right threw it over there I threw it over there I tried I tried I tried Channel
see it keep it going ohly okay let's do it really straight not arcing it you got to Arc it just a little bit get a little more room there she blows oh oh like dirty dog so a little too
much out there and it didn't see it I don't say it didn't see it I feel like it just I asked a lot of the ball a little further to the right the ball definitely looks like it's letting me trap it
that looks good what I thought it was thought I got it smooth enough off my hand and a little bit slower that it pick up and go through the pins they got to move right that you either hit it more or move right you got two options when you see that oh spare ball spare ball all right so
I'm going go about 23 all right so that looked a little bit better a little more higher flush on that last shot I move about two boards right oh hook a lot ah oh Jesus not on the ball that's more on me I just kind of didn't
lift all right so I'm going to get a little more aggressive with my hand I think the more I try to play right and the more ugly it's going to get [Music] yeah I say that then it does that so clearly again I just little instead of being like a little flatter with my wrist not as cued like I cued a little bit more and we saw it rev up and go
crazy let's get busy now so yeah not the ball's fault more of a me thing that I just could have a little more aggressive with my hand and did Venom things yep there she blows there she blows
so definitely get this some more striking in that video only 183 but what we saw out of this and the amount of strength um in this bowling ball is I feel like it's more off the spot than uh a recoil in my opinion like just a little bit more so it's my thoughts but I like it looks good colors red the bright yellow logos pick up I think you guys are good to go with this one if you like venoms you're going to like this one going to add to the bag two-handed high red rate y'all know the deal bro
y'all see EJ taget all big red rate guys throw this ball definitely have options so hit like subscribe button guys appreciate it as always on to the next one they I'm keeping the up keep you sleeping on I'm so locked in right now
Performance Analysis
Performance Analysis
Testing revealed the Motiv Lethal Venom to be a notably strong asymmetric solid that delivers consistent angular motion and backend reaction on medium oil patterns. Independent reviewers observed the ball responding well on house shots and medium conditions, with the coverstock providing a clean initial phase down the lane before the asymmetric core generated significant hook in the backend. When tested on a standard house pattern with a 60x5x30 layout, the ball demonstrated reliable motion that rewarded proper hand action and speed control. Reviewers noted the Lethal Venom felt stronger than comparable offerings in the asymmetric low differential category, with more pronounced arc than some recent releases in the Venom series.
Surface adjustments proved important to maximizing performance. Testing showed that 2,000 grit surface preparation worked well for league play, while some testers suggested moving to 1,000 grit for tougher, longer oil patterns to enhance backend continuation. The ball’s reaction proved somewhat sensitive to speed and hand position—slightly faster deliveries caused the ball to push through the breakpoint, while controlled speed and proper axis rotation unlocked its angular potential. Comparisons to other asymmetric options suggested the Lethal Venom occupies a middle ground in terms of skid length, appearing cleaner than some competitors while still maintaining the strong midlane read characteristic of quality asymmetric designs.
Two-handed bowlers in particular will find value in this design, as the ball’s predictable motion and strong backend reaction pair well with the higher rev rates that style of delivery generates. The Lethal Venom proved forgiving on slight misses and delivered repeatable carry through the pocket, making it a solid addition to an existing Venom series lineup.
Who Is This Ball For?
The Lethal Venom is an excellent choice for bowlers transitioning from symmetric to asymmetric equipment, or those looking to strengthen their medium oil arsenal. Recreational and league bowlers throwing typical house patterns will find this ball manageable and responsive, especially when paired with proper surface preparation (2,000 grit for house shots). Two-handed bowlers and high-rev players will particularly appreciate the controlled backend motion and the ball’s ability to handle various hand positions and speeds without becoming overly erratic.
This ball is less ideal for beginners still developing consistent speed and axis rotation, as its reactive coverstock and asymmetric design reward technical execution. However, intermediate-to-advanced bowlers seeking a cleaner-reading asymmetric that doesn’t require extremely long oil patterns will find the Lethal Venom strikes an appealing balance between control and hitting power, especially at its $174.95 price point.
The Pros
- • Best Venom yet according to multiple reviewers
- • Gear APG core on solid coverstock = more traction than Black Venom
- • 3000 grit surface reads medium oil beautifully
The Cons
- • Solid coverstock less length than pearl Venoms
- • Not as versatile as the Venom Shock on light conditions
Who Is This Ball For?
Called the best Venom yet — the Gear APG core on solid coverstock gives the Venom line real traction at $174.95. Video reviews inside.
Technical Specifications
How It Compares
More Videos (6)
Motiv Lethal Venom vs. Black & Coral Venom
Real Experience Bowling
Motiv Lethal Venom House and Sport Shot - 3 Testers vs Venom Shock
TamerBowling
Motiv Lethal Venom Review! BEST Motiv Bowling Ball In YEARS!
Luis Napoles
Lethal Venom | Bowling Ball Motion Video
Motiv Bowling
This is THE Benchmark Bowling Ball | Motiv Lethal Venom!
Luis Napoles
Is Bowling a SPORT? | DV8 Mantra Solid vs Motiv Lethal Venom
The HypeVerified Bowler Reviews (32 reviews, 4.8/5 avg)
Bowlers Say
Bowlers say the Lethal Venom is an excellent benchmark ball with predictable, smooth reaction and heavy pin carry. It works well on medium oil conditions with strong backend motion. The Leverage MXC coverstock and APG Gear core provide controllable power, making it versatile for various playing angles and rev styles.
AI summary of 32 verified purchase reviews
Bowlers frequently mention:
Introducing the first Venom ball with Duramax Technology. Not only does Duramax slow down lane shine, but also provides better traction. The new LETAHL VENOM is a blend of the old but favorite Recoil APG GEAR CORE and the SUB ZEROS LEVERAGE MXC COVER Out of box this ball has TEETH. For those that have a difficult time getting the SHock to see the lane at the right spot, LETAHL is what you need This ball WILL be your benchmark ball, first out of the bag on any condition with predictable/smooth/heavy hitting power. From speed dominant to rev dominant and balanced bowlers alike, its time to get LETHAL and elevate your game
Great-looking ball. I’m in the process of getting it drilled now by my pro shop. I can't wait to give it a try.
OK, United States
I have 2 other venom balls so now I feel I have the perfect trio to my bowling needs the ball is awesome thanks.
Connecticut, United States
This may be the best Venom since the Shock. I have seen some of the best ball reaction from the Lethal Venom that I've ever seen in my over 20 years of bowling. The Lethal Venom is a piece that will be usable in any bowlers bag. It's not often you find a ball that looks just as good from further inside as it does up the track. It allows me to play every angle on the lane imaginable. I really don't have much to say besides DRILL ONE. You won't regret it in the slightest. It is one of the best bowling balls we have ever released! - Anthony E, MOTIV Staff Member
The Black Venom has been one of my favorite late block/high friction tools in the Motiv arsenal. It is nice to see the APG Gear core back with a power upgrade from the Subzero Forge in the Leverage MXC cover. It really fills an interesting spot in the bag. When the lanes get messy, and the pattern is transitioning, the new Lethal Venom creates the perfect balance of power and control, allowing you to manage that tricky transition really well.
Showing 1–5 of 11 verified reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
What oil condition is the Motiv Lethal Venom best for?
Is the Motiv Lethal Venom good for beginners?
What is the RG and differential of the Motiv Lethal Venom?
How much does the Motiv Lethal Venom cost?
What type of bowler should use the Motiv Lethal Venom?
Never Miss a Release
Join serious bowlers getting the weekly data dump on new ball releases and performance data.