Supplemental Consolidating Data - Operations (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue:
Total revenue	$ 5,336,308,000	$ 4,054,377,000	$ 5,361,789,000
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	3,243,287,000	2,435,745,000	3,229,798,000
Financial Services interest expense	192,944,000	246,447,000	210,438,000
Financial Services provision for credit losses	25,049,000	181,870,000	134,536,000
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	1,048,174,000	1,050,627,000	1,199,056,000
Restructuring expense	3,415,000	130,009,000	32,353,000
Total costs and expenses	4,512,869,000	4,044,698,000	4,806,181,000
Operating income	823,439,000	9,679,000	555,608,000
Other income (expense), net	20,076,000	(1,848,000)	16,514,000
Investment income	6,694,000	7,560,000	16,371,000
Interest expense	30,972,000	31,121,000	31,078,000
Income (loss) before income taxes	819,237,000	(15,730,000)	557,415,000
Income tax provision (benefit)	169,213,000	(17,028,000)	133,780,000
Net income	650,024,000	1,298,000	423,635,000
Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Revenue:
Total revenue	4,564,703,000	3,279,407,000
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	3,243,287,000	2,435,745,000
Financial Services interest expense	0	0
Financial Services provision for credit losses	0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	899,088,000	907,257,000
Restructuring expense	2,741,000	119,110,000
Total costs and expenses	4,145,116,000	3,462,112,000
Operating income	419,587,000	(182,705,000)
Other income (expense), net	20,076,000	(1,848,000)
Investment income	246,694,000	107,560,000
Interest expense	30,972,000	31,121,000
Income (loss) before income taxes	655,385,000	(108,114,000)
Income tax provision (benefit)	73,590,000	(59,231,000)
Net income	581,795,000	(48,883,000)
Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Financial Services
Revenue:
Total revenue	788,736,000	783,421,000
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0	0
Financial Services interest expense	192,944,000	246,447,000
Financial Services provision for credit losses	25,049,000	181,870,000
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	166,332,000	152,258,000
Restructuring expense	674,000	10,899,000
Total costs and expenses	384,999,000	591,474,000
Operating income	403,737,000	191,947,000
Other income (expense), net	0	0
Investment income	0	0
Interest expense	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	403,737,000	191,947,000
Income tax provision (benefit)	95,623,000	42,203,000
Net income	308,114,000	149,744,000
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Total revenue	(17,131,000)	(8,451,000)
Costs and expenses:
Motorcycles and Related Products cost of goods sold	0	0
Financial Services interest expense	0	0
Financial Services provision for credit losses	0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	(17,246,000)	(8,888,000)
Restructuring expense	0	0
Total costs and expenses	(17,246,000)	(8,888,000)
Operating income	115,000	437,000
Other income (expense), net	0	0
Investment income	(240,000,000)	(100,000,000)
Interest expense	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(239,885,000)	(99,563,000)
Income tax provision (benefit)	0	0
Net income	(239,885,000)	(99,563,000)
Motorcycles and Related Products
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	4,540,240,000	3,264,054,000	4,572,678,000
Motorcycles and Related Products | Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	4,564,703,000	3,279,407,000
Motorcycles and Related Products | Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Financial Services
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	0	0
Motorcycles and Related Products | Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Motorcycles and Related Products	(24,463,000)	(15,353,000)
Financial Service
Revenue:
Financial Services	796,068,000	790,323,000	$ 789,111,000
Financial Service | Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Revenue:
Financial Services	0	0
Financial Service | Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Financial Services
Revenue:
Financial Services	788,736,000	783,421,000
Financial Service | Consolidating Adjustments
Revenue:
Financial Services	$ 7,332,000	$ 6,902,000