CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 27, 2016	Mar. 29, 2015
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 41,131	$ 174,700
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(39,011)	(38,069)
Origination of finance receivables	(815,697)	(752,404)
Collections on finance receivables	771,910	729,666
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred	(59,900)
Other	95	9
Net cash used by investing activities	(82,703)	(60,798)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Medium-term Notes	1,193,396	595,386
Repayments of Medium-term Notes	450,000	0
Proceeds from Securitization Debt	0	697,591
Repayments of Securitization Debt	173,363	200,695
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Credit Facility and Other Unsecured Debt	(331,090)	(661,241)
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper	5,814	16,798
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	(15,740)	(15,744)
Net change in restricted cash	(4,282)	(28,579)
Dividends paid	(64,457)	(65,467)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	(150,369)	(192,700)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments	110	2,207
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	276	9,605
Net cash provided by financing activities	10,295	157,161
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	3,081	(9,019)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(28,196)	262,044
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period	722,209	906,680
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(28,196)	262,044
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	694,013	1,168,724
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Net cash provided by operating activities	488,645	509,069
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(980)	(829)
Origination of finance receivables	(2,123,079)	(2,008,170)
Collections on finance receivables	1,573,300	1,519,934
Other	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities	(550,759)	(489,065)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Medium-term Notes	1,193,396	595,386
Repayments of Medium-term Notes	450,000
Repayments of Securitization Debt	173,363	200,695
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Credit Facility and Other Unsecured Debt	(331,090)	(661,241)
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper		(15,744)
Net change in restricted cash	(4,282)	(28,579)
Dividends paid	(140,000)	(100,000)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	0	0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments	0	0
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	84,735	53,516
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	324	(1,756)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	22,945	71,764
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period	321,766	332,785
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	22,945	71,764
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	344,711	404,549
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Net cash provided by operating activities	198,478	231,129
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(38,031)	(37,240)
Origination of finance receivables	0	0
Collections on finance receivables	0	0
Other	95	9
Net cash used by investing activities	(37,936)	(37,231)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Medium-term Notes	0	0
Repayments of Medium-term Notes	0
Repayments of Securitization Debt	0	0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Credit Facility and Other Unsecured Debt	0	0
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper		0
Net change in restricted cash	0	0
Dividends paid	(64,457)	(65,467)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	(150,369)	(192,700)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments	110	2,207
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	276	9,605
Net cash provided by financing activities	(214,440)	3,645
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	2,757	(7,263)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(51,141)	190,280
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period	400,443	573,895
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(51,141)	190,280
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	$ 349,302	$ 764,175