Supplemental Consolidating Data - Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Revenue:
Total revenue	$ 1,298,244	$ 1,384,380
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	780,868	848,198
Financial Services interest expense	52,473	52,324
Provision for credit losses	79,419	34,491
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	277,971	268,625
Restructuring expense	0	13,630
Total costs and expenses	1,190,731	1,217,268
Operating income	107,513	167,112
Other income, net	155	4,660
Investment (loss) income	(5,347)	6,358
Interest expense	7,755	7,731
Income before provision for income taxes	94,566	170,399
Provision for income taxes	24,871	42,454
Net income	69,695	127,945
Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	1,103,258	1,200,009
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	780,868	848,703
Financial Services interest expense	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	237,746	227,992
Restructuring expense		13,630
Total costs and expenses	1,018,614	1,090,325
Operating income	84,644	109,684
Other income, net	155	4,660
Investment (loss) income	94,653	51,358
Interest expense	7,755	7,731
Income before provision for income taxes	171,697	157,971
Provision for income taxes	19,271	28,557
Net income	152,426	129,414
Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	195,886	186,753
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0	0
Financial Services interest expense	52,473	52,324
Provision for credit losses	79,419	34,491
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	41,439	42,588
Restructuring expense		0
Total costs and expenses	173,331	129,403
Operating income	22,555	57,350
Other income, net	0	0
Investment (loss) income	0	0
Interest expense	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	22,555	57,350
Provision for income taxes	5,600	13,897
Net income	16,955	43,453
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Total revenue	(900)	(2,382)
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0	(505)
Financial Services interest expense	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	(1,214)	(1,955)
Restructuring expense		0
Total costs and expenses	(1,214)	(2,460)
Operating income	314	78
Other income, net	0	0
Investment (loss) income	(100,000)	(45,000)
Interest expense	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	(99,686)	(44,922)
Provision for income taxes	0	0
Net income	(99,686)	(44,922)
Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	1,099,788	1,195,637
Motorcycles and Related Products | Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	1,103,258	1,200,009
Motorcycles and Related Products | Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	0	0
Motorcycles and Related Products | Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	(3,470)	(4,372)
Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	198,456	188,743
Financial Services | Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Financial Services	0	0
Financial Services | Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Financial Services	195,886	186,753
Financial Services | Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Financial Services	$ 2,570	$ 1,990