Supplemental Consolidating Data - Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2020	Jun. 28, 2020	Mar. 29, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 27, 2020	Sep. 29, 2019
Revenue:
Total revenue	$ 1,165,684			$ 1,272,519			$ 3,329,155	$ 4,289,518
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	676,796			748,878			2,019,310	2,576,342
Financial Services interest expense	67,533			53,390			182,193	158,387
Provision for credit losses	7,835			33,747			178,433	94,621
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	231,721			309,031			734,057	885,273
Restructuring expense	43,915			7,629			85,864	31,682
Total costs and expenses	1,027,800			1,152,675			3,199,857	3,746,305
Operating income	137,884			119,844			129,298	543,213
Other income, net	155			3,160			466	11,857
Investment income	2,672			2,041			3,082	11,970
Interest expense	7,783			7,789			23,307	23,304
Income before provision for income taxes	132,928			117,256			109,539	543,736
Provision for income taxes	12,710			30,693			11,843	133,597
Net income	120,218	$ (92,217)	$ 69,695	86,563	$ 195,631	$ 127,945	97,696	410,139
Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	969,399			1,074,397			2,743,562	3,714,091
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	676,796			748,878			2,019,310	2,576,342
Financial Services interest expense	0			0			0	0
Provision for credit losses	0			0			0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	199,829			269,080			627,874	764,848
Restructuring expense	43,581			7,629			84,586	31,682
Total costs and expenses	920,206			1,025,587			2,731,770	3,372,872
Operating income	49,193			48,810			11,792	341,219
Other income, net	155			3,160			466	11,857
Investment income	2,672			52,041			103,082	151,970
Interest expense	7,783			7,789			23,307	23,304
Income before provision for income taxes	44,237			96,222			92,033	481,742
Provision for income taxes	(6,347)			13,517			(14,014)	85,422
Net income	50,584			82,705			106,047	396,320
Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	200,448			201,308			591,206	584,258
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0			0			0	0
Financial Services interest expense	67,533			53,390			182,193	158,387
Provision for credit losses	7,835			33,747			178,433	94,621
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	35,774			42,996			111,903	129,170
Restructuring expense	334			0			1,278	0
Total costs and expenses	111,476			130,133			473,807	382,178
Operating income	88,972			71,175			117,399	202,080
Other income, net	0			0			0	0
Investment income	0			0			0	0
Interest expense	0			0			0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	88,972			71,175			117,399	202,080
Provision for income taxes	19,057			17,176			25,857	48,175
Net income	69,915			53,999			91,542	153,905
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Total revenue	(4,163)			(3,186)			(5,613)	(8,831)
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	(3,882)			(3,045)			(5,720)	(8,745)
Restructuring expense	0			0			0	0
Total costs and expenses	(3,882)			(3,045)			(5,720)	(8,745)
Operating income	(281)			(141)			107	(86)
Other income, net	0			0			0	0
Investment income	0			(50,000)			(100,000)	(140,000)
Interest expense	0			0				0
Income before provision for income taxes	(281)			(50,141)			(99,893)	(140,086)
Provision for income taxes	0			0			0	0
Net income	(281)			(50,141)			(99,893)	(140,086)
Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	964,029			1,068,942			2,733,091	3,698,583
Motorcycles and Related Products | Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	969,399			1,074,397			2,743,562	3,714,091
Motorcycles and Related Products | Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	0			0			0	0
Motorcycles and Related Products | Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	(5,370)			(5,455)			(10,471)	(15,508)
Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	201,655			203,577			596,064	590,935
Financial Services | Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Financial Services	0			0			0	0
Financial Services | Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Financial Services	200,448			201,308			591,206	584,258
Financial Services | Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Financial Services	$ 1,207			$ 2,269			$ 4,858	$ 6,677