Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 28, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 29, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,247,579	$ 906,680	$ 999,346	$ 1,066,612
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	52,516	57,325	57,814
Accounts receivable, net	277,569	247,621	289,940
Finance receivables, net	2,331,723	1,916,635	2,281,512
Inventories	395,044	448,871	371,597
Restricted cash	136,760	98,627	154,681
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	94,778	89,916	90,348
Other current assets	160,421	182,420	128,460
Total current assets	4,696,390	3,948,095	4,373,698
Finance receivables, net	4,816,772	4,516,246	4,537,405
Property, plant and equipment, net	873,007	883,077	826,467
Prepaid Pension Costs	0	0	256,279
Goodwill	26,105	27,752	30,252
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	66,755	77,835	2,915
Other long-term assets	85,843	75,092	49,280
Total assets	10,564,872	9,528,097	10,076,296
Accounts payable	407,636	196,868	388,342
Accrued liabilities	448,737	449,317	500,769
Short-term debt	114,983	731,786	619,622
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	1,551,368	1,011,315	944,915
Total current liabilities	2,522,724	2,389,286	2,453,648
Long-term debt	4,560,349	3,761,528	3,794,396
Pension liability	66,786	76,186	38,174
Postretirement healthcare benefits	196,369	203,006	209,312
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	0	0	38,919
Other long-term liabilities	195,017	188,805	175,587
Total shareholders' equity	3,023,627	2,909,286	3,366,260
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,564,872	9,528,097	10,076,296
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	828,289	573,895	635,705	718,912
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	52,516	57,325	57,814
Accounts receivable, net	743,341	658,735	1,317,297
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	395,044	448,871	371,597
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	51,667	50,015	52,348
Other current assets	126,856	142,278
Total current assets	2,197,713	1,931,119	2,530,190
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	841,361	848,661	792,642
Prepaid Pension Costs			256,279
Goodwill	26,105	27,752	30,252
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	57,587
Other long-term assets	121,264	113,727
Total assets	3,244,030	2,996,380	3,723,507
Accounts payable	306,335	171,098	316,707
Accrued liabilities	369,467	370,652	423,312
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	675,802	541,750	740,019
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	66,786	76,186	38,174
Postretirement healthcare benefits	196,369	203,006	209,312
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent			35,597
Other long-term liabilities	168,043	164,060	152,862
Total shareholders' equity	2,137,030	2,011,378	2,547,543
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,244,030	2,996,380	3,723,507
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	419,290	332,785	363,641	347,700
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,331,723	1,916,635	2,281,512
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	136,760	98,627	154,681
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	43,111	39,901	38,000
Other current assets	40,441	43,125
Total current assets	2,971,325	2,431,073	2,870,865
Finance receivables, net	4,816,772	4,516,246	4,537,405
Property, plant and equipment, net	31,646	34,416	33,825
Prepaid Pension Costs			0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	10,861
Other long-term assets	43,842	39,309
Total assets	7,874,446	7,025,907	7,456,601
Accounts payable	567,073	436,884	1,098,992
Accrued liabilities	87,839	83,797	79,205
Short-term debt	114,983	731,786	619,622
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	1,551,368	1,011,315	944,915
Total current liabilities	2,321,263	2,263,782	2,742,734
Long-term debt	4,560,349	3,761,528	3,794,396
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent			1,574
Other long-term liabilities	26,974	24,745	22,725
Total shareholders' equity	965,860	975,852	895,172
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,874,446	7,025,907	7,456,601
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	(465,772)	(411,114)	(1,027,357)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	0	0	0
Other current assets	(6,876)	(2,983)
Total current assets	(472,648)	(414,097)	(1,027,357)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Prepaid Pension Costs			0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	(1,693)
Other long-term assets	(79,263)	(77,944)
Total assets	(553,604)	(494,190)	(1,103,812)
Accounts payable	(465,772)	(411,114)	(1,027,357)
Accrued liabilities	(8,569)	(5,132)	(1,748)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(474,341)	(416,246)	(1,029,105)
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent			1,748
Other long-term liabilities	0	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(79,263)	(77,944)	(76,455)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (553,604)	$ (494,190)	$ (1,103,812)