When I heard that the MOTIV’s new ball, the Tribal would have the same cover as the Primal Rage I was really excited - this time wrapped around the new Halogen core. For those bowlers that have used a ball with a light bulb shaped core, you know how versatile that traditional shape is.

I drilled my new Tribal with a 65* x 5” x 35* layout. After bowling with it the last couple of weeks, I believe that this ball is a perfect 1-2 punch with the Primal Rage. The medium RG core of the Tribal gets through the heads a little cleaner, and a little smoother off the spot than the Rage, but the continuation through the pins is just as great. This allows me to use the Tribal when the lanes break down a bit, as well as on the shorter sport patterns.

Here is a link to the ball reaction video that I did for the Tribal. I compare it to the Primal Rage, Thrash Frenzy, Venom Strike and Ascent Pearl on the Kegel’s Middle Road pattern.



The Tribal for me fits right in the sweet spot in the middle of my arsenal. On Medium volume patterns, I now can choose the Venom Strike if I want an earlier, smoother roll, or the Tribal if I need more backend to carry the corner pins. The Tribal is also a great option on longer patterns at the end of the night, when I need a ball to clear the fronts while retaining energy for the back. I have ordered a second Tribal that I’m planning on drilling with a weaker layout for dry lanes, so that I can take advantage of the versatility of the Halogen core. Looking forward to it!

--Kevin Gallagher—
PBA Member
MOTIV Staff