Supplemental Consolidating Data - Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2018	Apr. 01, 2018	Sep. 29, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue:
Total revenue	$ 1,272,519			$ 1,315,669			$ 4,289,518	$ 4,571,013
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	748,878			776,530			2,576,342	2,659,740
Financial Services interest expense	53,390			44,696			158,387	145,089
Provision for credit losses	33,747			23,530			94,621	72,462
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	309,031			306,665			885,273	909,898
Restructuring (benefit) expense	7,629			14,832			31,682	74,044
Total costs and expenses	1,152,675			1,166,253			3,746,305	3,861,233
Operating income	119,844			149,416			543,213	709,780
Other income (expense), net	3,160			644			11,857	1,509
Investment income (loss)	2,041			(1,106)			11,970	2,630
Interest expense	7,789			7,762			23,304	23,180
Income before provision for income taxes	117,256			141,192			543,736	690,739
Provision for income taxes	30,693			27,337			133,597	159,783
Net income	86,563	$ 195,631	$ 127,945	113,855	$ 242,338	$ 174,763	410,139	530,956
Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	1,068,942			1,123,945			3,698,583	4,013,013
Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	203,577			191,724			590,935	558,000
Eliminations
Revenue:
Total revenue	(3,186)			(3,496)			(8,831)	(9,691)
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0			0			0	0
Financial Services interest expense	0			0			0	0
Provision for credit losses	0			0			0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	(3,045)			(3,427)			(8,745)	(9,476)
Restructuring (benefit) expense	0			0			0	0
Total costs and expenses	(3,045)			(3,427)			(8,745)	(9,476)
Operating income	(141)			(69)			(86)	(215)
Other income (expense), net	0			0			0	0
Investment income (loss)	(50,000)			0			(140,000)	(110,000)
Interest expense	0			0			0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	(50,141)			(69)			(140,086)	(110,215)
Provision for income taxes	0			0			0	0
Net income	(50,141)			(69)			(140,086)	(110,215)
Eliminations | Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	(5,455)			(3,032)			(15,508)	(8,255)
Eliminations | Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	2,269			(464)			6,677	(1,436)
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations | Reportable Legal Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	1,074,397			1,126,977			3,714,091	4,021,268
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	748,878			776,530			2,576,342	2,659,740
Financial Services interest expense	0			0			0	0
Provision for credit losses	0			0			0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	269,080			267,316			764,848	798,544
Restructuring (benefit) expense	7,629			14,832			31,682	74,044
Total costs and expenses	1,025,587			1,058,678			3,372,872	3,532,328
Operating income	48,810			68,299			341,219	488,940
Other income (expense), net	3,160			644			11,857	1,509
Investment income (loss)	52,041			(1,106)			151,970	112,630
Interest expense	7,789			7,762			23,304	23,180
Income before provision for income taxes	96,222			60,075			481,742	579,899
Provision for income taxes	13,517			10,613			85,422	110,529
Net income	82,705			49,462			396,320	469,370
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations | Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	1,074,397			1,126,977			3,714,091	4,021,268
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations | Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	0			0			0	0
Financial Services Operations | Reportable Legal Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	201,308			192,188			584,258	559,436
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0			0			0	0
Financial Services interest expense	53,390			44,696			158,387	145,089
Provision for credit losses	33,747			23,530			94,621	72,462
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	42,996			42,776			129,170	120,830
Restructuring (benefit) expense	0			0			0	0
Total costs and expenses	130,133			111,002			382,178	338,381
Operating income	71,175			81,186			202,080	221,055
Other income (expense), net	0			0			0	0
Investment income (loss)	0			0			0	0
Interest expense	0			0			0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	71,175			81,186			202,080	221,055
Provision for income taxes	17,176			16,724			48,175	49,254
Net income	53,999			64,462			153,905	171,801
Financial Services Operations | Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	0			0			0	0
Financial Services Operations | Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	$ 201,308			$ 192,188			$ 584,258	$ 559,436