Supplemental Consolidating Data - Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2022	Mar. 27, 2022	Jun. 27, 2021	Mar. 28, 2021	Jun. 26, 2022	Jun. 27, 2021
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 215,849	$ 222,502	$ 206,340	$ 259,144	$ 438,351	$ 465,484
Adjustments to reconcile Net income to Net cash (used) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization					77,389	81,323
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs					47,101	40,089
Amortization of financing origination fees					7,637	7,224
Provision for long-term employee benefits					(9,844)	13,366
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments					(5,466)	(11,055)
Stock compensation expense					19,765	23,340
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales					(201,326)	(129,819)
Provision for credit losses	29,133		16,201		57,955	(6,273)
Deferred income taxes					2,475	12,732
Other, net					11,102	(2,065)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net					(134,605)	(124,738)
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other					4,255	9,691
Inventories, net					(33,986)	58,366
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities					(4,239)	196,606
Other current assets					(32,378)	10,029
Total adjustments					(194,165)	178,816
Net cash provided by operating activities					244,186	644,300
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures					(55,015)	(37,568)
Origination of finance receivables					(2,511,193)	(2,294,500)
Collections on finance receivables					2,071,952	1,944,364
Other investing activities					797	2,425
Net cash used by investing activities					(493,459)	(385,279)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes					495,785	0
Repayments of medium-term notes					(950,000)	(1,400,000)
Proceeds from securitization debt					1,826,891	597,411
Repayments of securitization debt					(610,205)	(664,685)
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper					425,253	0
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper					(133,159)	(143,256)
Net decrease in unsecured commercial paper					(50,672)	(262,452)
Net increase in credit facilities					0	84
Net increase in deposits					55,255	179,329
Dividends paid					(47,146)	(46,209)
Repurchase of common stock					(325,828)	(10,911)
Other financing activities					(1,237)	4,324
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities					684,937	(1,746,365)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					(14,413)	(6,878)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period		2,025,219		3,409,168	2,025,219	3,409,168
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					421,251	(1,494,222)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	2,446,470		1,914,946		2,446,470	1,914,946
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from securitization debt					0
Harley-Davidson Financial Services
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from securitization debt					1,826,891
Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	152,007		254,331		310,968	423,384
Adjustments to reconcile Net income to Net cash (used) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization					73,098	76,749
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs					0	0
Amortization of financing origination fees					348	344
Provision for long-term employee benefits					(9,844)	13,366
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments					(5,466)	(11,055)
Stock compensation expense					18,341	21,550
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales					0	0
Provision for credit losses	0		0		0	0
Deferred income taxes					4,312	6,505
Other, net					5,678	(2,092)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net					(347,250)	(427,762)
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other					0	0
Inventories, net					(33,986)	58,366
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities					(5,423)	182,066
Other current assets					(48,633)	8,615
Total adjustments					(348,825)	(73,348)
Net cash provided by operating activities					(37,857)	350,036
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures					(53,694)	(36,104)
Origination of finance receivables					0	0
Collections on finance receivables					0	0
Other investing activities					797	2,425
Net cash used by investing activities					(52,897)	(33,679)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes					0
Repayments of medium-term notes					0	0
Proceeds from securitization debt						0
Repayments of securitization debt					0	0
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper					0
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper					0	0
Net decrease in unsecured commercial paper					0	0
Net increase in credit facilities						0
Net increase in deposits					0	0
Dividends paid					(47,146)	(46,209)
Repurchase of common stock					(325,828)	(10,911)
Other financing activities					(1,237)	4,324
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities					(374,211)	(52,796)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					(13,149)	(6,217)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period		1,078,205		666,161	1,078,205	666,161
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					(478,114)	257,344
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	600,091		923,505		600,091	923,505
Reportable Legal Entities | Harley-Davidson Financial Services
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	63,999		72,464		127,387	162,474
Adjustments to reconcile Net income to Net cash (used) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization					4,291	4,574
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs					47,101	40,089
Amortization of financing origination fees					7,289	6,880
Provision for long-term employee benefits					0	0
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments					0	0
Stock compensation expense					1,424	1,790
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales					0	0
Provision for credit losses	29,133		16,201		57,955	(6,273)
Deferred income taxes					(1,431)	6,597
Other, net					5,420	(347)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net					0	0
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other					4,255	9,691
Inventories, net					0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities					223,086	313,178
Other current assets					6,592	5,145
Total adjustments					355,982	381,324
Net cash provided by operating activities					483,369	543,798
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures					(1,321)	(1,464)
Origination of finance receivables					(4,379,674)	(4,254,353)
Collections on finance receivables					3,739,107	3,774,683
Other investing activities					0	0
Net cash used by investing activities					(641,888)	(481,134)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes					495,785
Repayments of medium-term notes					(950,000)	(1,400,000)
Proceeds from securitization debt						597,411
Repayments of securitization debt					(610,205)	(664,685)
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper					425,253
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper					(133,159)	(143,256)
Net decrease in unsecured commercial paper					(50,672)	(262,452)
Net increase in credit facilities						84
Net increase in deposits					55,255	179,329
Dividends paid					0	(120,000)
Repurchase of common stock					0	0
Other financing activities					0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities					1,059,148	(1,813,569)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					(1,264)	(661)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period		947,014		2,743,007	947,014	2,743,007
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					899,365	(1,751,566)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	1,846,379		991,441		1,846,379	991,441
Consolidating Adjustments
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	(157)		(120,455)		(4)	(120,374)
Adjustments to reconcile Net income to Net cash (used) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization					0	0
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs					0	0
Amortization of financing origination fees					0	0
Provision for long-term employee benefits					0	0
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments					0	0
Stock compensation expense					0	0
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales					(201,326)	(129,819)
Provision for credit losses	0		0		0	0
Deferred income taxes					(406)	(370)
Other, net					4	374
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net					212,645	303,024
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other					0	0
Inventories, net					0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities					(221,902)	(298,638)
Other current assets					9,663	(3,731)
Total adjustments					(201,322)	(129,160)
Net cash provided by operating activities					(201,326)	(249,534)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures					0	0
Origination of finance receivables					1,868,481	1,959,853
Collections on finance receivables					(1,667,155)	(1,830,319)
Other investing activities					0	0
Net cash used by investing activities					201,326	129,534
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes					0
Repayments of medium-term notes					0	0
Proceeds from securitization debt					0	0
Repayments of securitization debt					0	0
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper					0
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper					0	0
Net decrease in unsecured commercial paper					0	0
Net increase in credit facilities						0
Net increase in deposits					0	0
Dividends paid					0	120,000
Repurchase of common stock					0	0
Other financing activities					0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities					0	120,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period		$ 0		$ 0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash					0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0	$ 0