Dahon California stainless steel folder

[The French Tandem]

I'm in the need for a folder, but budget is limited and I love older machines, so I'll probably go for a second hand bicycle. I have spotted a very nice Dahon stainless steel on the Bay:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Dahon-California-16-Zoll-VU-Edelstahl-Klapprad-Faltrad-Fahrrad-/282644129406?

Since YACF has always been a community of trustable people for me, I have two requests:

1) Anyone has any experience with this particular model, or any older Dahon? (this one is probably from the 1980s)

2) This particular bicycle has only a front brake and no rear brake. I have seen other bikes of the same model with either one or two brakes. My question is, is it normal to have only one brake on a folder? I know it is illegal and dangerous, but it seems to be a common practice. 

Bonus question: If I buy this bicycle, I will want to fit a rear brake, but the chainstays bridge has no hole for that (rear brake goes on the chainstays bridge on this model). Is this a job that can be reasonably easily done with a hand held drill and a sharp bit, or should I leave the job to a proper machine shop?

Thank you for your help!
Alain

[Ham]

You sure it doesn't have a back brake? My Dahon 20" single speed has a coaster rear brake.

[The French Tandem]

You sure it doesn't have a back brake? My Dahon 20" single speed has a coaster rear brake.

Interesting point! The rear hub is a 3 speed internal gear hub. Could it be possible that the same hub combines gears and a coaster brake?

[Ham]

That's a "yes", they are deffo a thing

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/shimano333.html

[ijsbrand]

The eBay listing says:

Rücktrittbremse hinten

Which means coaster brake in the rear.

[The French Tandem]

The eBay listing says:

Rücktrittbremse hinten

Which means coaster brake in the rear.

My German is not up to the job, I missed that point, thank you!

[zigzag]

is this a bike for adults (looks really small and short)?

[The French Tandem]

is this a bike for adults (looks really small and short)?

It looks a bit childish, due to the small wheels, but with the double seatpost, the saddle can be raised quite high. The bar is probably a bit too close to the saddle, but since I do not intend to ride anything longer than 7 or 8 km on that, I think it should be fine.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

It is the original idiosyncratic Dahon design that came out at the same time as Brompton, mid '80s. Small fold but complicated and a Brompton rides much better.

[StuAff]

I've owned three Dahons, all of much newer vintage, and TBH I don't know why anyone would go for one from the 80s instead, given the significant improvements they made in design even in 2004-2010, for example, and the near impossibility of getting any Dahon parts for a particular bike even three or four years down the line, let alone thirty. Each to their own, though....