Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 27, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 28, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,368,554	$ 906,680	$ 979,866	$ 1,066,612
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	47,358	57,325	57,579
Accounts receivable, net	294,054	247,621	286,256
Finance receivables, net	2,068,873	1,916,635	2,012,466
Inventories	466,657	448,871	460,958
Restricted cash	113,499	98,627	142,286
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	100,558	89,916	54,962
Other current assets	156,488	182,420	208,105
Total current assets	4,616,041	3,948,095	4,202,478
Finance receivables, net	5,009,473	4,516,246	4,653,034
Property, plant and equipment, net	877,787	883,077	826,764
Prepaid Pension Costs	0	0	261,983
Goodwill	54,267	27,752	28,638
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	71,952	77,835	2,559
Other long-term assets	102,038	75,092	50,050
Total assets	10,731,558	9,528,097	10,025,506
Accounts payable	316,894	196,868	329,288
Accrued liabilities	464,352	449,317	507,006
Short-term debt	990,049	731,786	352,430
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	891,710	1,011,315	1,518,320
Total current liabilities	2,663,005	2,389,286	2,707,044
Long-term debt	5,054,347	3,761,528	3,573,118
Pension liability	61,458	76,186	38,594
Postretirement healthcare benefits	193,406	203,006	204,890
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	0	0	42,326
Other long-term liabilities	199,669	188,805	175,171
Total shareholders' equity	2,559,673	2,909,286	3,284,363
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,731,558	9,528,097	10,025,506
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	963,360	573,895	630,134	718,912
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	47,358	57,325	57,579
Accounts receivable, net	725,828	658,735	967,140
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	466,657	448,871	460,958
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	53,218	50,015	43,900
Other current assets	121,953	142,278	172,483
Total current assets	2,378,374	1,931,119	2,332,194
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	845,297	848,661	793,256
Prepaid Pension Costs			261,983
Goodwill	54,267	27,752	28,638
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	59,649	75,121	2,559
Other long-term assets	141,588	113,727	111,249
Total assets	3,479,175	2,996,380	3,529,879
Accounts payable	290,154	171,098	265,764
Accrued liabilities	382,292	370,652	411,953
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	672,446	541,750	677,717
Long-term debt	746,879	0	0
Pension liability	61,458	76,186	38,594
Postretirement healthcare benefits	193,406	203,006	204,890
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent			36,381
Other long-term liabilities	172,038	164,060	151,367
Total shareholders' equity	1,632,948	2,011,378	2,420,930
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,479,175	2,996,380	3,529,879
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	405,194	332,785	349,732	347,700
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,068,873	1,916,635	2,012,466
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	113,499	98,627	142,286
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	47,340	39,901	46,724
Other current assets	43,714	43,125	35,622
Total current assets	2,678,620	2,431,073	2,586,830
Finance receivables, net	5,009,473	4,516,246	4,653,034
Property, plant and equipment, net	32,490	34,416	33,508
Prepaid Pension Costs			0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	14,232	4,863	0
Other long-term assets	40,403	39,309	15,972
Total assets	7,775,218	7,025,907	7,289,344
Accounts payable	458,514	436,884	744,408
Accrued liabilities	93,168	83,797	132,717
Short-term debt	990,049	731,786	352,430
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	891,710	1,011,315	1,518,320
Total current liabilities	2,433,441	2,263,782	2,747,875
Long-term debt	4,307,468	3,761,528	3,573,118
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent			3,943
Other long-term liabilities	27,631	24,745	23,804
Total shareholders' equity	1,006,678	975,852	940,604
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,775,218	7,025,907	7,289,344
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	(431,774)	(411,114)	(680,884)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	0	0	(35,662)
Other current assets	(9,179)	(2,983)	0
Total current assets	(440,953)	(414,097)	(716,546)
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	(1,929)	(2,149)	0
Other long-term assets	(79,953)	(77,944)	(77,171)
Total assets	(522,835)	(494,190)	(793,717)
Accounts payable	(431,774)	(411,114)	(680,884)
Accrued liabilities	(11,108)	(5,132)	(37,664)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(442,882)	(416,246)	(718,548)
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent			2,002
Other long-term liabilities	0	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(79,953)	(77,944)	(77,171)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (522,835)	$ (494,190)	$ (793,717)