Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 29, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 999,346	$ 1,066,612	$ 1,300,690	$ 1,068,138
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	57,814	99,009	133,631
Accounts receivable, net	289,940	261,065	253,819
Finance receivables, net	2,281,512	1,773,686	2,010,974
Inventories	371,597	424,507	307,717
Restricted cash	154,681	144,807	212,004
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	90,348	103,625	108,806
Other current assets	128,460	115,492	235,636
Total current assets	4,373,698	3,988,803	4,454,471
Finance receivables, net	4,537,405	4,225,877	4,214,612
Property, plant and equipment, net	826,467	842,477	790,563
Prepaid Pension Costs	256,279	244,871	0
Goodwill	30,252	30,452	29,183
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	2,915	3,339	149,880
Other long-term assets	49,280	69,221	218,369
Total assets	10,076,296	9,405,040	9,707,198
Accounts payable	388,342	239,794	344,423
Accrued liabilities	500,769	427,335	450,247
Short-term debt	619,622	666,317	525,745
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	944,915	1,176,140	776,274
Total current liabilities	2,453,648	2,509,586	2,096,689
Long-term debt	3,794,396	3,416,713	4,234,352
Pension liability	38,174	36,371	148,974
Postretirement healthcare benefits	209,312	216,165	271,122
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	38,919	49,499	0
Other long-term liabilities	175,587	167,220	134,822
Total shareholders' equity	3,366,260	3,009,486	2,821,239
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,076,296	9,405,040	9,707,198
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	635,705	718,912	935,095	727,716
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	57,814	99,009	133,631
Accounts receivable, net	1,317,297	850,248	956,619
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	371,597	424,507	307,717
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	52,348	70,557
Other current assets	95,429	82,717	175,231
Total current assets	2,530,190	2,245,950	2,508,293
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	792,642	808,005	758,674
Prepaid Pension Costs	256,279	244,871
Goodwill	30,252	30,452	29,183
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	2,915	3,339
Other long-term assets	111,229	126,940	277,409
Total assets	3,723,507	3,459,557	3,573,559
Accounts payable	316,707	203,786	290,363
Accrued liabilities	423,312	353,618	392,613
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	303,000	303,000
Total current liabilities	740,019	860,404	985,976
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	38,174	36,371	148,974
Postretirement healthcare benefits	209,312	216,165	271,122
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	35,597	44,584
Other long-term liabilities	152,862	146,686	116,645
Total shareholders' equity	2,547,543	2,155,347	2,050,842
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,723,507	3,459,557	3,573,559
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	363,641	347,700	365,595	340,422
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,281,512	1,773,686	2,010,974
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	154,681	144,807	212,004
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	38,000	33,068
Other current assets	33,031	34,573	60,405
Total current assets	2,870,865	2,333,834	2,648,978
Finance receivables, net	4,537,405	4,225,877	4,214,612
Property, plant and equipment, net	33,825	34,472	31,889
Prepaid Pension Costs	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	0	0
Other long-term assets	14,506	17,360	18,011
Total assets	7,456,601	6,611,543	6,913,490
Accounts payable	1,098,992	625,191	756,860
Accrued liabilities	79,205	77,774	61,015
Short-term debt	619,622	666,317	525,745
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	944,915	873,140	473,274
Total current liabilities	2,742,734	2,242,422	1,816,894
Long-term debt	3,794,396	3,416,713	4,234,352
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	1,574	2,656
Other long-term liabilities	22,725	20,534	18,177
Total shareholders' equity	895,172	929,218	844,067
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,456,601	6,611,543	6,913,490
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(1,027,357)	(589,183)	(702,800)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	0	0
Other current assets	0	(1,798)	0
Total current assets	(1,027,357)	(590,981)	(702,800)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Prepaid Pension Costs	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	0	0
Other long-term assets	(76,455)	(75,079)	(77,051)
Total assets	(1,103,812)	(666,060)	(779,851)
Accounts payable	(1,027,357)	(589,183)	(702,800)
Accrued liabilities	(1,748)	(4,057)	(3,381)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,029,105)	(593,240)	(706,181)
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	1,748	2,259
Other long-term liabilities	0	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(76,455)	(75,079)	(73,670)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (1,103,812)	$ (666,060)	$ (779,851)