Supplemental Consolidating Data (Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 27, 2015	Jun. 28, 2015	Mar. 29, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 28, 2014	Jun. 29, 2014	Mar. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Net income	$ 42,200	$ 140,300	$ 299,800	$ 269,900	$ 74,500	$ 150,100	$ 354,200	$ 265,900		$ 752,207	$ 844,611	$ 733,993
Income (loss) from continuing operations										752,207	844,611	733,993
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation										198,074	179,300	167,072
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs										93,546	94,429	86,181
Amortization of financing origination fees										9,975	8,442	9,376
Provision for long-term employee benefits										60,824	33,709	66,877
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans										(28,490)	(29,686)	(204,796)
Stock compensation expense										29,433	37,929	41,244
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales										(113,970)	(75,210)	28,865
Provision for credit losses										101,345	80,946	60,008
Loss on debt extinguishment										1,099	3,942	4,947
Deferred income taxes										16,484	7,621	(52,580)
Foreign currency adjustments										20,067	21,964	16,269
Other, net										846	(1,491)	10,123
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable										(13,665)	(9,809)	(36,653)
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other										(3,046)	(2,515)	(346)
Inventories										(155,222)	(50,886)	(46,474)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities										138,823	21,309	(78,665)
Derivative instruments										(5,615)	703	(2,189)
Prepaid and other										30,371	(3,389)	68,681
Total adjustments										347,911	302,066	243,100
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations										1,100,118	1,146,677	977,093
Cash flows from investing activities of continuing operations:
Capital expenditures										(259,974)	(232,319)	(208,321)
Origination of finance receivables										(3,751,830)	(3,568,423)	(3,244,005)
Collections on finance receivables										3,136,885	3,013,245	2,831,994
Purchases of marketable securities										0	0	(4,998)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities										11,507	41,010	40,108
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross										(59,910)	0	0
Other									$ 16,355	7,474	1,837	16,355
Net cash used by investing activities										(915,848)	(744,650)	(568,867)
Cash flows from financing activities of continuing operations:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes										595,386	991,835	0
Repayments of medium-term notes										(610,331)	(526,431)	(27,858)
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt										740,385	0	0
Repayments of Unsecured Debt											(303,000)
Intercompany Borrowing Activity										0	0	0
Proceeds from securitization debt										1,195,668	847,126	647,516
Repayments of securitization debt										(1,008,135)	(834,856)	(840,387)
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper										87,442	84,907	88,456
Net increase in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper										469,473	63,945	371,085
Net repayments in asset-backed commercial paper										(72,727)	(77,800)	(78,765)
Net change in restricted cash										11,410	22,755	43,201
Dividends										(249,262)	(238,300)	(187,688)
Purchase of common stock for treasury										(1,537,020)	(615,602)	(479,231)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments										3,468	11,540	19,895
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans										20,179	37,785	50,567
Net cash used by financing activities										(354,064)	(536,096)	(393,209)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents										(14,677)	(25,863)	(16,543)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										(184,471)	(159,932)	(1,526)
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period				906,680		$ 1,066,612		1,066,612	1,068,138	906,680	1,066,612	1,068,138
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										(184,471)	(159,932)	(1,526)
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	722,209				906,680		$ 1,066,612			722,209	906,680	1,066,612
Motorcycles & Related Products Operations [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Net income										678,010	795,530	745,077
Income (loss) from continuing operations										678,010
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation										188,926	171,187	160,181
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs										0	0	0
Amortization of financing origination fees										267	59	473
Provision for long-term employee benefits										60,824	33,709	66,877
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans										(28,490)	(29,686)	(204,796)
Stock compensation expense										26,775	35,064	38,367
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales										0	0	0
Provision for credit losses										0	0	0
Loss on debt extinguishment										0	0	0
Deferred income taxes										4,792	191	(54,568)
Foreign currency adjustments										20,067	21,964	16,269
Other, net										(442)	20,273	10,942
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable										4,055	(31,740)	(24,273)
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other										0	0	0
Inventories										(155,222)	(50,886)	(46,474)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities										81,929	18,255	(85,949)
Derivative instruments										(5,615)	703	(2,161)
Prepaid and other										33,658	(17,187)	70,900
Total adjustments										221,940	171,524	54,924
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations										899,950	967,054	800,001
Cash flows from investing activities of continuing operations:
Capital expenditures										(249,772)	(224,262)	(199,354)
Origination of finance receivables										0	0	0
Collections on finance receivables										0	0	0
Purchases of marketable securities												(4,998)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities										11,507	41,010	40,108
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross										(59,910)
Other									16,355	7,474	1,837
Net cash used by investing activities										(290,701)	(181,415)	(147,889)
Cash flows from financing activities of continuing operations:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes										0	0
Repayments of medium-term notes										0	0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt										740,385
Repayments of Unsecured Debt											(303,000)
Intercompany Borrowing Activity										250,000	200,000	(50,000)
Proceeds from securitization debt										0	0	0
Repayments of securitization debt										0	0	0
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper										0	0	0
Net increase in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper										0	0	0
Net repayments in asset-backed commercial paper										0	0	0
Net change in restricted cash										0	0	0
Dividends										(249,262)	(238,300)	(187,688)
Purchase of common stock for treasury										(1,537,020)	(615,602)	(479,231)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments										3,468	11,540	19,895
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans										20,179	37,785	50,567
Net cash used by financing activities										(772,250)	(907,577)	(646,457)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents										(10,451)	(23,079)	(14,459)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										(173,452)	(145,017)	(8,804)
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period				573,895				718,912	727,716	573,895	718,912	727,716
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										(173,452)	(145,017)	(8,804)
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	400,443				573,895					400,443	573,895	718,912
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Net income										174,197	169,081	173,916
Income (loss) from continuing operations										174,197
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation										9,148	8,113	6,891
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs										93,546	94,429	86,181
Amortization of financing origination fees										9,708	8,383	8,903
Provision for long-term employee benefits										0	0	0
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans										0	0	0
Stock compensation expense										2,658	2,865	2,877
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales										0	0	0
Provision for credit losses										101,345	80,946	60,008
Loss on debt extinguishment										1,099	3,942	4,947
Deferred income taxes										11,692	(7,430)	1,988
Foreign currency adjustments										0	0	0
Other, net										1,288	(21,764)	(819)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable										0	0	0
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other										(3,046)	(2,515)	(346)
Inventories										0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities										18,539	21,629	(5,096)
Derivative instruments										0	0	(28)
Prepaid and other										(3,287)	13,798	(2,219)
Total adjustments										219,306	202,396	159,311
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations										393,503	371,477	333,227
Cash flows from investing activities of continuing operations:
Capital expenditures										(10,202)	(8,057)	(8,967)
Origination of finance receivables										(7,836,279)	(7,693,884)	(7,140,533)
Collections on finance receivables										7,127,999	7,066,852	6,757,387
Purchases of marketable securities												0
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities										0	0	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross										0
Other									0	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities										(718,482)	(635,089)	(392,113)
Cash flows from financing activities of continuing operations:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes										595,386	991,835
Repayments of medium-term notes										(610,331)	(526,431)	(27,858)
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt										0
Repayments of Unsecured Debt											0
Intercompany Borrowing Activity										(250,000)	(200,000)	50,000
Proceeds from securitization debt										1,195,668	847,126	647,516
Repayments of securitization debt										(1,008,135)	(834,856)	(840,387)
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper										87,442	84,907	88,456
Net increase in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper										469,473	63,945	371,085
Net repayments in asset-backed commercial paper										(72,727)	(77,800)	(78,765)
Net change in restricted cash										11,410	22,755	43,201
Dividends										(100,000)	(120,000)	(185,000)
Purchase of common stock for treasury										0	0	0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments										0	0	0
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans										0	0	0
Net cash used by financing activities										318,186	251,481	68,248
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents										(4,226)	(2,784)	(2,084)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										(11,019)	(14,915)	7,278
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period				332,785				347,700	340,422	332,785	347,700	340,422
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										(11,019)	(14,915)	7,278
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	321,766				332,785					321,766	332,785	347,700
Eliminations & Adjustments [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Net income										(100,000)	(120,000)	(185,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations										(100,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation										0	0	0
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs										0	0	0
Amortization of financing origination fees										0	0	0
Provision for long-term employee benefits										0	0	0
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans										0	0	0
Stock compensation expense										0	0	0
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales										(113,970)	(75,210)	28,865
Provision for credit losses										0	0	0
Loss on debt extinguishment										0	0	0
Deferred income taxes										0	0	0
Foreign currency adjustments										0	0	0
Other, net										0	0	0
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable										(17,720)	21,931	(12,380)
Finance receivables – accrued interest and other										0	0	0
Inventories										0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities										38,355	(18,575)	12,380
Derivative instruments										0	0	0
Prepaid and other										0	0	0
Total adjustments										(93,335)	(71,854)	28,865
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations										(193,335)	(191,854)	(156,135)
Cash flows from investing activities of continuing operations:
Capital expenditures										0	0	0
Origination of finance receivables										4,084,449	4,125,461	3,896,528
Collections on finance receivables										(3,991,114)	(4,053,607)	(3,925,393)
Purchases of marketable securities												0
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities										0	0	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross										0
Other									0	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities										93,335	71,854	(28,865)
Cash flows from financing activities of continuing operations:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes										0	0
Repayments of medium-term notes										0	0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt										0
Repayments of Unsecured Debt											0
Intercompany Borrowing Activity										0	0	0
Proceeds from securitization debt										0	0	0
Repayments of securitization debt										0	0	0
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper										0	0	0
Net increase in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper										0	0	0
Net repayments in asset-backed commercial paper										0	0	0
Net change in restricted cash										0	0	0
Dividends										100,000	120,000	185,000
Purchase of common stock for treasury										0	0	0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments										0	0	0
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans										0	0	0
Net cash used by financing activities										100,000	120,000	185,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents										0	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period				$ 0				$ 0	$ 0	0	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents										0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	$ 0				$ 0					$ 0	$ 0	$ 0