- Black Jackal

First Impressions
Released in June/July 2018, the Motiv Black Jackal is an extremely rare and sought-after "International Release" (originally intended primarily for the Japanese market) that enjoys almost mythical status among those in the know. Visually, it's exactly what a lot of purists had been asking for: a completely deep-black Jackal (solid black). Inside works the then-current and extremely powerful Predator V3 core, which also drove the Jackal Rising. With a 2.47 RG, a 0.055 differential and a 0.019 intermediate diff (at 15 lbs), this asymmetric core is a genuine torque monster. It's wrapped in a special version of the Coercion Solid Reactive coverstock. The factory finish (usually 2000 grit LSS) combined with the black color signals maximum traction and a heavy roll.
Comparison
Compared directly to the Motiv Jackal Rising (black/red, Jan 2018) available in the US and Europe and the Jackal Ghost (black/purple, 2017), the Black Jackal often comes across as a touch more stable and earlier. While the Jackal Ghost is known for its phenomenal versatility and continuation, the Black Jackal acts more as a pure heavy-oil tool. It reads the lane extremely early (comparable to the Rising), but the homogeneous black shell often makes the motion feel a bit "smoother" and less jumpy. It's Motiv's counterpart to a Storm Pitch Black, but with a high-performance core: it controls the reaction down the lane like almost no other ball, though it gives up some backend angle in exchange for total safety in oil.
On the Lanes
The Motiv Black Jackal is a specialist for heavy oil and demanding sport patterns. It's the ultimate weapon for taming the lane on fresh. Its strength isn't the big arc from left to right, but the ability to build traction in the heaviest oil and keep the pins flat. It nearly eliminates over/under reactions, since it makes the transition from oil to dry extremely smooth ("blending"). It's ideal if you love the aggressive Jackal core but want a look and reaction as calm and readable as a urethane ball, yet with the carry of reactive resin. A collector's piece that's worth its weight in gold on tough lanes.