1970 B25 Starfire tyres

[TAYLOR]

Hello,
I would appreciate any advice about suitable tyres for my 1970 B25 Starfire. I returned to biking 18 months ago but have only done a few hundred miles on the Starfire and still feel a newbie, so apologies in advance if my questions are at a beginner level.

The front tyre is a Kenda 3.25 x 18 and the rear a Mitas 3.50 x 18. I want to renew the rear tyre, my priority being roadholding and grip. I live in a rural area so local roads can be a bit greasy from the passage of agricultural machinery. My question is

a) is it important to have the same make front and rear? If it is, then as Kenda don't appear to make a 3.50 x 18 I would need to replace  both, and

b) which makes would you recommend for good roadholding. As I don't do many miles longevity and wear is not so important as roadholding. I'd rather not have to spend a lot but will if more expensive brands give better grip.

I would be grateful for any advice from more experienced members.

Thank you,

Hugh

[AWJDThumper]

For the sort of riding you can do on a B25, I don't think it matters that much what tyres you use, and whether they are matched, as long as you've got a reasonable amount of tread on both. I ride a much higher performance single with semi off road tyres on it and have never experienced any problems with road holding even with these non ideal road tyres.