Hi guys,

Wow, thank you all for your wonderful responses!
Have given it some thought and decided to just give it a go and enjoy the ride. Strange thing is, back in the UK, I'm perfectly happy to pootle off into the middle of nowhere on my own - I think the driving here is more aggressive and has made me more wary.
I've 'fessed up to my partner that I'm planning to go (can't do the sneaky thing), so at least someone will know to look for me amongst the possums at the side of the road!

Kiwi Girl/CrazyCanuck - yeah, part of the ride is around the Waitaks, out to Piha. Actually, in retrospect, getting out of central Auckland is probably more dangerous than the country roads themselves!

Thanks again to everyone - sometimes I think we all need to take a little step out of our comfort zones (as long as we're not planning to ride through Deliverance country and can hear the banjos tuning up in the background!).