Supplemental Consolidating Data - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Jan. 01, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jul. 01, 2018	Apr. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 924,638			$ 1,203,766	$ 978,749
Marketable securities	0			10,007	0
Accounts receivable, net	325,306			306,474	335,594
Finance receivables, net	2,362,125			2,214,424	2,252,956
Inventories	470,610			556,128	465,373
Restricted cash	82,248			49,275	44,386
Other current assets	147,234			144,368	166,362
Total current assets	4,312,161			4,484,442	4,243,420
Finance receivables, net	5,232,280			5,007,507	5,060,246
Property, plant and equipment, net	855,998			904,132	904,113
Prepaid pension costs	0			0	131,497
Goodwill	64,449			55,048	55,451
Deferred income taxes	134,639			141,464	67,505
Lease assets	54,913		$ 60,000
Other long-term assets	85,876			73,071	83,790
Total assets	10,740,316			10,665,664	10,546,022
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	324,464			284,861	287,214
Accrued liabilities	615,905			601,130	572,440
Short-term debt	405,695			1,135,810	1,327,307
Current portion of long-term debt, net	2,396,188			1,575,799	945,463
Total current liabilities	3,742,252			3,597,600	3,132,424
Long-term debt, net	4,650,176			4,887,667	4,868,346
Lease liabilities	38,365
Pension liabilities	92,750			107,776	55,819
Postretirement healthcare benefits	92,539			94,453	113,464
Other long-term liabilities	213,593			204,219	214,443
Shareholders’ equity	1,910,641	$ 1,797,611		1,773,949	2,161,526	$ 1,995,949	$ 1,844,277
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,740,316			10,665,664	10,546,022
Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles And Related Products Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	560,446			544,548	627,783
Marketable securities				10,007
Accounts receivable, net	671,719			425,727	669,266
Finance receivables, net	0			0	0
Inventories	470,610			556,128	465,373
Restricted cash	0			0	0
Other current assets	102,956			91,172	124,521
Total current assets	1,805,731			1,627,582	1,886,943
Finance receivables, net	0			0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	801,871			847,176	854,681
Prepaid pension costs					131,497
Goodwill	64,449			55,048	55,451
Deferred income taxes	96,914			105,388	27,043
Lease assets	48,415
Other long-term assets	157,061			144,122	151,691
Total assets	2,974,441			2,779,316	3,107,306
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	302,137			258,587	262,562
Accrued liabilities	497,019			496,643	481,402
Short-term debt	0			0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0			0	0
Total current liabilities	799,156			755,230	743,964
Long-term debt, net	742,959			742,624	742,292
Lease liabilities	31,809
Pension liabilities	92,750			107,776	55,819
Postretirement healthcare benefits	92,539			94,453	113,464
Other long-term liabilities	171,509			164,243	174,412
Shareholders’ equity	1,043,719			914,990	1,277,355
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,974,441			2,779,316	3,107,306
Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	364,192			659,218	350,966
Marketable securities				0
Accounts receivable, net	0			0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,362,125			2,214,424	2,252,956
Inventories	0			0	0
Restricted cash	82,248			49,275	44,386
Other current assets	44,278			59,070	41,841
Total current assets	2,852,843			2,981,987	2,690,149
Finance receivables, net	5,232,280			5,007,507	5,060,246
Property, plant and equipment, net	54,127			56,956	49,432
Prepaid pension costs					0
Goodwill	0			0	0
Deferred income taxes	38,928			37,603	41,696
Lease assets	6,498
Other long-term assets	20,159			18,680	19,999
Total assets	8,204,835			8,102,733	7,861,522
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	368,740			145,527	358,324
Accrued liabilities	118,256			110,063	90,416
Short-term debt	405,695			1,135,810	1,327,307
Current portion of long-term debt, net	2,396,188			1,575,799	945,463
Total current liabilities	3,288,879			2,967,199	2,721,510
Long-term debt, net	3,907,217			4,145,043	4,126,054
Lease liabilities	6,556
Pension liabilities	0			0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0			0	0
Other long-term liabilities	39,314			37,142	36,997
Shareholders’ equity	962,869			953,349	976,961
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	8,204,835			8,102,733	7,861,522
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0			0	0
Marketable securities				0
Accounts receivable, net	(346,413)			(119,253)	(333,672)
Finance receivables, net	0			0	0
Inventories	0			0	0
Restricted cash	0			0	0
Other current assets	0			(5,874)	0
Total current assets	(346,413)			(125,127)	(333,672)
Finance receivables, net	0			0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0			0	0
Prepaid pension costs					0
Goodwill	0			0	0
Deferred income taxes	(1,203)			(1,527)	(1,234)
Lease assets	0
Other long-term assets	(91,344)			(89,731)	(87,900)
Total assets	(438,960)			(216,385)	(422,806)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(346,413)			(119,253)	(333,672)
Accrued liabilities	630			(5,576)	622
Short-term debt	0			0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0			0	0
Total current liabilities	(345,783)			(124,829)	(333,050)
Long-term debt, net	0			0	0
Lease liabilities	0
Pension liabilities	0			0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0			0	0
Other long-term liabilities	2,770			2,834	3,034
Shareholders’ equity	(95,947)			(94,390)	(92,790)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (438,960)			$ (216,385)	$ (422,806)