Free Ride
Heartbreak, Courage, and the 20,000-mile Motorcycle Journey That Changed My Life
Atria Books · Print & ebook · May 19, 2026
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER By the YouTube sensation with three million followers, the inspiring account of a young woman who, in a moment of personal crisis, embarked on an epic, transcontinental motorcycle ride—and along the way found a new sense of purpose.
We earn from qualifying purchases.
- Who it’s for
- A Royal Enfield ride through the Himalayas expands into a 20,000-mile journey.
- Themes
- self-discovery, adventure, resilience
- Pacing
- Mixed
Nearest books
Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved. Most of these share its genres: Adventurers & Explorers and Personal Memoirs.
She RidesAlenka Vrecek69% match
The Wilder WayEva zu Beck64% match
The Ride of Her LifeElizabeth Letts62% matchAlso shares Women's Lives
UnboundSteph Jagger61% match
WildCheryl Strayed60% match
Fast CompanyDavid M. Gross57% match
Ghost RiderNeil Peart57% match
For younger readers: Pedal Pusher, Run Away With Me, Wayfarers
Start with three books, and this one can be the first.
Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.
Start with this bookAbout this book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER By the YouTube sensation with three million followers, the inspiring account of a young woman who, in a moment of personal crisis, embarked on an epic, transcontinental motorcycle ride—and along the way found a new sense of purpose. Noraly Schoenmaker was a thirtysomething geologist living in the Netherlands when she learned that her live-in partner had been having an affair.
Continue reading
In desperate need of a new beginning, she decided to quit her job and jet off to India. But her plans were dashed when she fell quickly and helplessly in love: with a motorcycle. Behind the handlebars of a Royal Enfield, a short tour of the Himalayas quickly morphed into an epic 20,000-mile journey. She would cover remote and utterly unfamiliar territory, break down on impossibly steep mountains, and push too many miles down empty roads. But through her travels, she discovered the true beauty and simplicity of the world’s open spaces, the kindness of its people, and a newfound, unshakable belief in her capabilities. Free Ride is a “no-frill, from-the-heart” (BBC) story of self-discovery and renewal that is filled with unforgettable figures and hilarious disasters, showing what happens when you open your heart and let the world in.
Himalayan Motorcycle Ride
A Royal Enfield ride through the Himalayas expands into a 20,000-mile journey.
Come here for
- Remote roads and steep mountain breakdowns
- The kindness of people met along the way
Expect
- Travel across unfamiliar territory
- A geologist’s account of starting over after heartbreak
Where it sits
| Adventurers & Explorers | 58% |
|---|---|
| Women's Lives | 27% |
| Personal Memoirs | 24% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Personal Memoirs
- Motorcycles
- Travel Writing
- Authors
- Noraly Schoenmaker
- Publisher
- Atria Books
- Published
- May 19, 2026
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- self-discovery · adventure · resilience
- Reading lane
- Personal Memoirs