I added chain, front brake, and am now able to take this bike on short rides. I think this will be quite a nice little bike for short trips. It took a short while to get used to, but nowhere near some other bikes (like some recumbents).
I am still waiting for the chain tugs to arrive in the mail. I used a cheap v-brake lever for the front brake, I was able to expand the plastic clamp enough to fit over the larger diameter handlebars. I will add the rear brake later for safety. The foam grips are not permanent, eventually if/when I decide this one is a keeper I will strip it all down, remove the decals, clean everything up and paint the currently painted parts. I think I will leave the chrome as-is since it is so durable.
There's alot to like about this bike- low step over height, extreme portability, very nimble handling, low weight (for what it is).