Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Amount Of Gains And Losses Recognized In Income Related To Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019	Sep. 27, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019
Derivative
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	$ 676,796	$ 748,878	$ 2,019,310	$ 2,576,342
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	231,721	309,031	734,057	885,273
Interest expense	7,783	7,789	23,307	23,304
Financial Services interest expense	67,533	53,390	182,193	158,387
Expected to be reclassified over the next twelve months			(23,800)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	58,585	4,211	84,295	12,634
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Foreign currency contracts
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	3,027	5,826	11,732	15,947
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Foreign currency contracts \| Motorcycle, Cost of Goods Sold
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	3,027	5,826	11,732	15,947
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Commodity contracts
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	(12)	(28)	(201)	(45)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Commodity contracts \| Motorcycle, Cost of Goods Sold
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	(12)	(28)	(201)	(45)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Cross-currency swaps
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	59,625	0	83,634	0
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Cross-currency swaps \| Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	59,625		83,634
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Treasury rate lock contracts
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	(124)	(124)	(370)	(369)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Treasury rate lock contracts \| Interest Expense
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	(91)	(91)	(272)	(272)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Treasury rate lock contracts \| Financial Services interest expense
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	(33)	(33)	(98)	(97)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Interest rate swap
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	(3,931)	(1,463)	(10,500)	(2,899)
Cash Flow Hedging \| Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Interest rate swap \| Financial Services interest expense
Derivative
Gain/(Loss) Reclassified from AOCL into Income	$ (3,931)	$ (1,463)	$ (10,500)	$ (2,899)

The estimated net amount of existing gains or losses on cash flow hedges at the reporting date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next 12 months.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121549185&loc=d3e80748-113994

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedWithinTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate costs related to goods produced and sold and services rendered by an entity during the reporting period. This excludes costs incurred during the reporting period related to financial services rendered and other revenue generating activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 924
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 11.L)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6472922&loc=d3e499488-122856

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents interest incurred for borrowed money which was used to produce goods or render services.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingInterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119993939&loc=d3e28555-108399

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (210.5-03(11))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of reclassification of gain (loss) from accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) for derivative instrument designated and qualifying as cash flow hedge included in assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121641772&loc=d3e689-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121641772&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossReclassificationBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=hog_MotorcycleCostofGoodsSoldMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CurrencySwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_TreasuryLockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=hog_FinancialServicesInterestExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: