I'm a bit older than you, OP, so a bit more conservative (and now an ex-biker following being taken out by a taxi). Didn't ride a sports bike either, just a mid-size cruiser (Suzuki Boulevard M50).
I used to make my maximum speed 110 to 115 km/hr, over that the camera fines would get too much. I'd find that my average speed between points would be about 80 km/hr, you can average faster but you have to raise your maximum.
As for posted corner speeds, generally you can go around at much higher speeds than posted even on a mid-size cruiser, but if you're going out to Kawhia on the west coast of the North Island then do take notice of the sharp left hand bend with the 35 (or even 25) km/hr posted speed - its not the corner so much as its a place where loose gravel tends to collect.
Once you're down the South Island you'll recognise the problem we have with tourists who forget we drive on the left. Nothing more sphincter tightening than to meet a car coming toward you on your side of the road. Down south they paint big arrows on the road to remind tourists which side of the road they're supposed to be driving on.
Going up to the Scottish Highlands huh, don't worry about the sheep - it's the bloody big shaggy haired cows with the big horns that'd worry me.
There are two songs, "Stairway to Heaven" and "Highway to Hell" which I think give an indication of expected traffic flow
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