Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 28, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 29, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 979,866	$ 1,066,612	$ 1,029,955	$ 1,068,138
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	57,579	99,009	122,234
Accounts receivable, net	286,256	261,065	290,158
Finance receivables, net	2,012,466	1,773,686	1,829,612
Inventories	460,958	424,507	401,199
Restricted cash	142,286	144,807	194,329
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	54,962	103,625	113,367
Other current assets	208,105	115,492	225,188
Total current assets	4,202,478	3,988,803	4,092,675
Finance receivables, net	4,653,034	4,225,877	4,355,278
Property, plant and equipment, net	826,764	842,477	795,235
Prepaid Pension Costs	261,983	244,871	0
Goodwill	28,638	30,452	30,041
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	2,559	3,339	143,047
Other long-term assets	50,050	69,221	210,779
Total assets	10,025,506	9,405,040	9,484,008
Accounts payable	329,288	239,794	326,713
Accrued liabilities	507,006	427,335	539,227
Short-term debt	352,430	666,317	394,460
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	1,518,320	1,176,140	721,316
Total current liabilities	2,707,044	2,509,586	1,981,716
Long-term debt	3,573,118	3,416,713	4,067,733
Pension liability	38,594	36,371	144,563
Postretirement healthcare benefits	204,890	216,165	267,919
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	42,326	49,499	0
Other long-term liabilities	175,171	167,220	140,230
Total shareholders' equity	3,284,363	3,009,486	2,881,847
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,025,506	9,405,040	9,484,008
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	630,134	718,912	652,961	727,716
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	57,579	99,009	122,234
Accounts receivable, net	967,140	850,248	1,228,320
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	460,958	424,507	401,199
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	43,900	70,557
Other current assets	172,483	82,717	160,538
Total current assets	2,332,194	2,245,950	2,565,252
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	793,256	808,005	763,469
Prepaid Pension Costs	261,983	244,871
Goodwill	28,638	30,452	30,041
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	2,559	3,339
Other long-term assets	111,249	126,940	272,490
Total assets	3,529,879	3,459,557	3,631,252
Accounts payable	265,764	203,786	276,197
Accrued liabilities	411,953	353,618	455,393
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	303,000	303,000
Total current liabilities	677,717	860,404	1,034,590
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	38,594	36,371	144,563
Postretirement healthcare benefits	204,890	216,165	267,919
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	36,381	44,584
Other long-term liabilities	151,367	146,686	121,003
Total shareholders' equity	2,420,930	2,155,347	2,063,177
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,529,879	3,459,557	3,631,252
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	349,732	347,700	376,994	340,422
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,012,466	1,773,686	1,829,612
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	142,286	144,807	194,329
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	46,724	33,068
Other current assets	35,622	34,573	64,650
Total current assets	2,586,830	2,333,834	2,465,585
Finance receivables, net	4,653,034	4,225,877	4,355,278
Property, plant and equipment, net	33,508	34,472	31,766
Prepaid Pension Costs	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	0	0
Other long-term assets	15,972	17,360	14,804
Total assets	7,289,344	6,611,543	6,867,433
Accounts payable	744,408	625,191	988,678
Accrued liabilities	132,717	77,774	86,003
Short-term debt	352,430	666,317	394,460
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	1,518,320	873,140	418,316
Total current liabilities	2,747,875	2,242,422	1,887,457
Long-term debt	3,573,118	3,416,713	4,067,733
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	3,943	2,656
Other long-term liabilities	23,804	20,534	19,227
Total shareholders' equity	940,604	929,218	893,016
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,289,344	6,611,543	6,867,433
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	(680,884)	(589,183)	(938,162)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	(35,662)	0
Other current assets	0	(1,798)	0
Total current assets	(716,546)	(590,981)	(938,162)
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	(77,171)	(75,079)	(76,515)
Total assets	(793,717)	(666,060)	(1,014,677)
Accounts payable	(680,884)	(589,183)	(938,162)
Accrued liabilities	(37,664)	(4,057)	(2,169)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(718,548)	(593,240)	(940,331)
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	2,002	2,259
Other long-term liabilities		0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(77,171)	(75,079)	(74,346)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (793,717)	$ (666,060)	$ (1,014,677)