In the US, motorcycles are bought for recreation but abroad they are bought for basic transportation.
Over here the latter applies primarily to Scooters... but only during summer...
Actual, hard core everyday commuting, like my GF does from February to November on her NT700VA, is a rarity...
Yes, some folks, especially office dwellers, use their motorcycle for
occasional rides to the workplace, only if the weather is just about right...
(BTW is the suit & tie fella with loafers on a GS with the obligatory ammo cases tacked onto a hilarious sight...
)
Actual motorcycles (squid/sport-bikes, cruisers, AVD alikes...) are obtained for "recreational activities", like a brief tour to a bike pub/joint about an hour outside town...
The serious touring market has been pretty much killed, last one offering full dressed rigs with proper panniers (and shaft drive) are BMW...
Everything else avail and offered as "touring motorcycles" are insectoid looking, naked UJM's with chain drive, no fairing and panniers hanging far outboard on weird structures...
More
trendy for urban commute are those bloody rental e-scooters (as well as bicycles) invading all sidewalks...
Those feel entitled, standing above all and everything, the road traffic act and especially any common sense... quite a nuisance and road hazard...
Not a day going by I've to avoid having one ending up as hood-ornament...
(unless it's raining, then their all disappear, stuck in public transport or their car... saving the planet goes exactly that far... )