Most people who ride bikes do just that--just ride their bikes to get to where they need to go or on just casual recreational rides. They don't ride road bike with drop handlebars and see how many miles they can ride in a day or week, or how fast they can go or climb. They don't spend any money on special biking clothing. Most probably didn't spend more than $200 for their bikes.
My guess is that most recumbent riders use their bikes in the same way--to get to where they want to go and casual, recreational rides. Because of their sheer numbers, DF bikes--the kind most people ride are cheap and readily available. I have found DFs that have just been thrown out and with a little work are completely rideable.

One of the ways that I have enjoyed my long wheel based EZ Sport recumbent is taking casual rides on the rails to trails MUPs in my area that go through some scenic and beautiful rural areas.
With my seat back it is a panoramic view with everything in front of me to see with no need to bend my neck like on a DF with drop handlebars or even one with upright handlebars (a way which I've also ridden these trails before). Plus, the LBS at my end of the Elroy-Sparta bike trail (which we call the "Sparta-Elroy" bike trail) rents EZ Sports just like mine. When my daughter was a middle teen we hauled my bike to the trail and then rented one for her there.