Supplemental Consolidating Data - Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2021	Mar. 28, 2021	Jun. 28, 2020	Mar. 29, 2020	Jun. 27, 2021	Jun. 28, 2020
Revenue:
Total revenue	$ 1,532,058		$ 865,227		$ 2,954,565	$ 2,163,471
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	924,449		561,646		1,736,071	1,342,514
Financial Services interest expense	48,621		62,187		104,328	114,660
Provision for credit losses	16,201		91,179		(6,273)	170,598
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	261,509		224,365		493,353	502,336
Restructuring expense	918		41,949		552	41,949
Total costs and expenses	1,251,698		981,326		2,328,031	2,172,057
Operating income (loss)	280,360		(116,099)		626,534	(8,586)
Other income, net	690		156		967	311
Investment income	2,731		5,757		4,133	410
Interest expense	7,722		7,769		15,430	15,524
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	276,059		(117,955)		616,204	(23,389)
Provision for income taxes	69,719		(25,738)		150,720	(867)
Net income (loss)	206,340	$ 259,144	(92,217)	$ 69,695	465,484	(22,522)
Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	1,336,970				2,575,437
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	924,449				1,736,071
Financial Services interest expense	0				0
Provision for credit losses	0				0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	223,512				419,872
Restructuring expense	807				214
Total costs and expenses	1,148,768				2,156,157
Operating income (loss)	188,202				419,280
Other income, net	690				967
Investment income	122,731				124,133
Interest expense	7,722				15,430
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	303,901				528,950
Provision for income taxes	49,570				105,566
Net income (loss)	254,331				423,384
Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Total revenue	199,637				388,387
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0				0
Financial Services interest expense	48,621				104,328
Provision for credit losses	16,201				(6,273)
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	42,091				82,366
Restructuring expense	111				338
Total costs and expenses	107,024				180,759
Operating income (loss)	92,613				207,628
Other income, net	0				0
Investment income	0				0
Interest expense	0				0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	92,613				207,628
Provision for income taxes	20,149				45,154
Net income (loss)	72,464				162,474
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Total revenue	(4,549)				(9,259)
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0				0
Financial Services interest expense	0				0
Provision for credit losses	0				0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	(4,094)				(8,885)
Restructuring expense	0				0
Total costs and expenses	(4,094)				(8,885)
Operating income (loss)	(455)				(374)
Other income, net	0				0
Investment income	(120,000)				(120,000)
Interest expense	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes	(120,455)				(120,374)
Provision for income taxes	0				0
Net income (loss)	(120,455)				(120,374)
Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	1,331,500		669,274		2,563,607	1,769,062
Motorcycles and Related Products | Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	1,336,970				2,575,437
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	(5,470)				(11,830)
Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	200,558		$ 195,953		390,958	$ 394,409
Financial Services | Reportable Legal Entities | HDMC Entities
Revenue:
Financial Services	0				0
Financial Services | Reportable Legal Entities | HDFS Entities
Revenue:
Financial Services	199,637				388,387
Financial Services | Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Financial Services	$ 921				$ 2,571