Business Segments (Information By Strategic Business Units) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 29, 2015	Mar. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Motorcycles net revenue	$ 1,510,570us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 1,571,688us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	277,749	276,421
Financial Services revenue	162,375us-gaap_FinancialServicesRevenue	154,360us-gaap_FinancialServicesRevenue
Operating income	410,118us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	410,882us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Motorcycles [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Motorcycles net revenue	1,510,570	1,571,688
Gross profit	590,275	592,131
Selling, administrative and engineering expense	244,821	244,439
Operating income	345,454	347,692
Financial Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Financial Services revenue	162,375	154,360
Financial services expense	97,711	91,170
Operating income	$ 64,664	$ 63,190

The aggregate costs incurred during the reporting period related to financial services rendered by an entity.

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

- Definition

The aggregate financial services revenue and operating interest income earned during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Aggregate revenue during the period from the sale of goods in the normal course of business, after deducting returns, allowances and discounts.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 4

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 330

-SubTopic 10

-Section 30

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34747878&loc=d3e3636-108311

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hog_FinancialServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hog_MotorcyclesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: