well trust me my south island hic friend the roads and scenery are equally as gorgeous in the north! even in auckland (well on the outskirts) its a good ride, the ride from my old place to muriwai beach or on and up to south head or just round the back roads in between are shit hot. its the road surface compared to here that i really miss. any where back in NZ is the nuts
Secretly I know, but would never admit it in public, there's some great roads around Auckland and the Waikato, plus north of Wellington through to Taranaki that I've seen .