Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 27, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 29, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 694,013	$ 722,209	$ 1,168,724	$ 906,680
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	45,122	45,192	57,219
Accounts receivable, net	311,960	247,405	280,497
Finance receivables, net	2,564,608	2,053,582	2,357,993
Inventories	553,750	585,907	480,941
Restricted cash	93,192	88,267	120,428
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	115,585	102,769	83,519
Other current assets	113,520	132,552	158,174
Total current assets	4,491,750	3,977,883	4,707,495
Finance receivables, net	4,811,958	4,814,571	4,490,599
Property, plant and equipment, net	932,836	942,418	873,518
Goodwill	54,585	54,182	25,632
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	82,188	99,614	72,176
Other long-term assets	94,354	84,309	78,440
Total assets	10,467,671	9,972,977	10,247,860
Accounts payable	348,289	235,614	440,920
Accrued liabilities	587,504	471,964	497,027
Short-term debt	870,073	1,201,380	70,329
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	782,140	838,349	1,494,301
Total current liabilities	2,588,006	2,747,307	2,502,577
Long-term debt, net	5,460,553	4,832,469	4,347,884
Pension liability	134,679	164,888	71,263
Postretirement healthcare benefits	191,704	193,659	199,645
Other long-term liabilities	199,909	195,000	190,651
Total shareholders' equity	1,892,820	1,839,654	2,935,840
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,467,671	9,972,977	10,247,860
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	349,302	400,443	764,175	573,895
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	45,122	45,192	57,219
Accounts receivable, net	811,276	390,799	784,268
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	553,750	585,907	480,941
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	61,266	56,319	42,819
Other current assets	85,260	90,824	128,579
Total current assets	1,905,976	1,569,484	2,258,001
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	898,381	906,972	840,354
Goodwill	54,585	54,182	25,632
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	75,999	86,075	62,826
Other long-term assets	135,449	133,753	117,760
Total assets	3,070,390	2,750,466	3,304,573
Accounts payable	321,028	220,050	369,143
Accrued liabilities	477,762	387,137	398,922
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	798,790	607,187	768,065
Long-term debt, net	740,821	740,653	0
Pension liability	134,679	164,888	71,263
Postretirement healthcare benefits	191,704	193,659	199,645
Other long-term liabilities	170,318	166,440	164,993
Total shareholders' equity	1,034,078	877,639	2,100,607
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,070,390	2,750,466	3,304,573
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	344,711	321,766	404,549	332,785
Available-for-sale Securities, Current	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,564,608	2,053,582	2,357,993
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	93,192	88,267	120,428
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current	54,319	46,450	40,700
Other current assets	28,260	43,807	29,595
Total current assets	3,085,090	2,553,872	2,953,265
Finance receivables, net	4,811,958	4,814,571	4,490,599
Property, plant and equipment, net	34,455	35,446	33,164
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	7,783	15,681	10,808
Other long-term assets	40,171	31,158	39,289
Total assets	7,979,457	7,450,728	7,527,125
Accounts payable	526,577	158,958	575,548
Accrued liabilities	109,455	89,048	99,563
Short-term debt	870,073	1,201,380	70,329
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	782,140	838,349	1,494,301
Total current liabilities	2,288,245	2,287,735	2,239,741
Long-term debt, net	4,719,732	4,091,816	4,347,884
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	27,071	28,560	25,658
Total shareholders' equity	944,409	1,042,617	913,842
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,979,457	7,450,728	7,527,125
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	(499,316)	(143,394)	(503,771)
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	0	(2,079)	0
Total current assets	(499,316)	(145,473)	(503,771)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	(1,594)	(2,142)	(1,458)
Other long-term assets	(81,266)	(80,602)	(78,609)
Total assets	(582,176)	(228,217)	(583,838)
Accounts payable	(499,316)	(143,394)	(503,771)
Accrued liabilities	287	(4,221)	(1,458)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(499,029)	(147,615)	(505,229)
Long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	2,520	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(85,667)	(80,602)	(78,609)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (582,176)	$ (228,217)	$ (583,838)