Mark Johnston: A Rally Spirit Unshaken
When people talk about true rally grit, the name Mark Johnston deserves a spot in that conversation. Not only has Mark built race-ready rally bikes from the ground up in his workshop in Cape Town, but he’s also pushed himself to the physical and mental limits of desert racing, and he's not done yet.
Mark and I first met in 2019 at the Tankwa Rally. From the very beginning, it was clear he was more than just another rider; his attention to detail, mechanical know-how, and quiet determination made him stand out. That year we did both the Tankwa and Kalahari Rallies back-to-back, a baptism by fire that laid the foundation for a great friendship built in the heat of rally passion.
One moment from that event has never left me. Mark was way ahead of me on one of the stages, riding like a man possessed, but then hit fuel issues just before the finish. I eventually caught up and ended up towing him the last few kilometers across a dead-flat pan, his bike lifeless behind mine. It wasn’t fast or glamorous, but we crossed that finish line together. That’s rally. That’s Mark. We weren't just racers anymore; we were rally brothers. Since then, Mark’s been a constant part of my rally world.
Mark was part of the original "founders" group that helped shape the Karoo Roadbook Camps in 2020, and he's attended every edition except for one since. In 2021, he took a decisive step in his rally career by winning the Malle Moto class at the Kalahari Rally, racing solo and unsupported. For many, this would have been a career highlight. But for Mark, it was just the beginning.
He was aiming to take on Dakar 2023 when fate threw him a brutal curveball. During a training ride in the Atlantis dunes, he broke his back, not long after recovering from a broken shoulder. It was a devastating injury that could have ended his rally dreams for good. But Mark, in his characteristic way, quietly endured, adapted, and recalibrated.
Now, he’s setting his sights on something even more ambitious: Baja Rally 2025 and the Africa Eco Race 2026, both as a Malle Moto competitor. That means no crew, no mechanics, and no frills, just one man, one bike, and a determination to finish. These two iconic events cover nearly 8,500 km combined, and Mark will be the first South African to attempt both races Malle Moto. It’s a bold move, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s him.
Mark’s journey hasn’t just been about racing. He's also been a huge part of South Africa's rally ecosystem through his custom fabrication shop, Johnston Moto. From restoring vintage Paris-Dakar bikes to engineering cutting-edge rally towers, mounts, and navigation systems, his mechanical fingerprints are on many bikes that have tackled Africa's toughest terrain, including the early development of the Rally Tab, where he helped refine the hardware with his usual attention to perfection.
He’s built not just bikes, but relationships too. I’ve spent many days riding with Mark through the Eastern Cape, training in the white dunes of Atlantis, and navigating our way across Karoo backroads. I remember standing on a koppie at the Tankwa Rally in 2019, shouting “TANKWA!” at the top of my lungs, into the canyon below as Mark descended the mountain, unaware of the friendship that moment was beginning to carve.
Beyond the racing and the wrenching, there’s the quieter side of Mark, the one not everyone sees. He introduced me to the magic of the Atlantis dunes, always finishes a ride with a strawberry milkshake, and has a deep love for fishing that rivals even his passion for bikes. When I crashed during COVID and needed a place to recover, he and his wife opened their home to me without hesitation. I stayed with them for days, waiting for a delayed operation. That kind of support goes beyond friendship; it’s family.
Today, Mark is both a friend and a client of mine. As part of the Decoding Dakar consultancy program, he’s been training and preparing methodically for what’s ahead. He joined us at the recent Namibia Roadbook Camp, not only to refine his skills further but also to inspire the next wave of rally hopefuls with his example.
Mark Johnston is not just chasing big goals. He’s living the rally spirit with every dusty mile, late-night wrench session, and obstacle overcome. His journey from Cape Town workshops to international rally stages reminds us all what’s possible when passion meets perseverance.
If you’d like to support a real-deal rider who embodies everything good about the sport, now is the time to back him. His rallies are coming fast. Baja around the corner, Africa Eco in a few months, and Mark is charging forward, one kilometer at a time.
Let’s rally around him.
Click here to support Marks Back a Buddy campaign and get access to his official Whats App group
