Supplemental Consolidating Data (Cash Flows) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 27, 2016	Mar. 29, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pension And Postretirement Healthcare Plan Curtailment And Settlement Expense	$ 300	$ 0
Repayments of Medium-term Notes	(450,000)	0
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits	3,636	2,820
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	250,489	269,854
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	50,027	46,028
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	21,546	22,932
Amortization Of Financing Origination Fees	2,802	2,215
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense	9,203	12,318
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans	(29,641)	(6,627)
Stock compensation expense	7,053	8,046
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	(507,731)	(465,598)
Provision for credit losses	37,123	26,247
Foreign currency adjustments	(5,873)	18,154
Other, net	(1,429)	(2,507)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(57,885)	(49,936)
Finance receivables-accrued interest and other	685	2,067
Inventories	40,539	(51,934)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	222,800	305,102
Derivative instruments	1,196	399
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expenses, Other	3,709	(35,120)
Total adjustments	(209,358)	(95,154)
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 of finance receivables	771,910	729,666
Other	95	9
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities	(82,703)	(60,798)
Proceeds from Issuance of Medium-term Notes	1,193,396	595,386
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany Borrowing Activity		0
Proceeds from Securitization Debt	0	697,591
Proceeds from Other Debt		697,591
Repayments of Securitization Debt	(173,363)	(200,695)
borrowings of asset backed commercial paper	5,814	16,798
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Credit Facility and Other Unsecured Debt	(331,090)	(661,241)
Net repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	15,740
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
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper	5,814	16,798
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
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pension And Postretirement Healthcare Plan Curtailment And Settlement Expense	300
Repayments of Medium-term Notes	0
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits	6,034	6,594
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	357,102	327,249
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	48,056	43,947
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	0	0
Amortization Of Financing Origination Fees	168	0
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense	9,203	12,318
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans	(29,641)	(6,627)
Stock compensation expense	6,389	7,381
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Foreign currency adjustments	(5,873)	18,154
Other, net	(1,703)	(1,893)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(413,807)	(392,593)
Finance receivables-accrued interest and other	0	0
Inventories	40,539	(51,934)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	189,425	241,052
Derivative instruments	1,196	399
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expenses, Other	8,910	(27,082)
Total adjustments	(158,624)	(96,120)
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 of finance receivables	0	0
Other	95	9
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities	(37,936)	(37,231)
Proceeds from Issuance of Medium-term Notes	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany Borrowing Activity		250,000
Proceeds from Other Debt		0
Repayments of Securitization Debt	0	0
borrowings of asset backed commercial paper	0	0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Credit Facility and Other Unsecured Debt	0	0
Net repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	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
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pension And Postretirement Healthcare Plan Curtailment And Settlement Expense	0
Repayments of Medium-term Notes	(450,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits	(1,850)	(3,774)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	33,142	42,605
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	1,971	2,081
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	21,546	22,932
Amortization Of Financing Origination Fees	2,634	2,215
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense	0	0
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans	0	0
Stock compensation expense	664	665
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	0	0
Provision for credit losses	37,123	26,247
Foreign currency adjustments	0	0
Other, net	519	(614)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	0	0
Finance receivables-accrued interest and other	685	2,067
Inventories	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	387,010	406,607
Derivative instruments	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expenses, Other	(5,201)	(8,038)
Total adjustments	455,503	466,464
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 of finance receivables	1,573,300	1,519,934
Other	0	0
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities	(550,759)	(489,065)
Proceeds from Issuance of Medium-term Notes	1,193,396	595,386
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany Borrowing Activity		(250,000)
Proceeds from Other Debt		697,591
Repayments of Securitization Debt	(173,363)	(200,695)
borrowings of asset backed commercial paper	5,814	16,798
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Credit Facility and Other Unsecured Debt	(331,090)	(661,241)
Net repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	15,740
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
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pension And Postretirement Healthcare Plan Curtailment And Settlement Expense	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Repayments of Medium-term Notes	0
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits	(548)	0
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	(139,755)	(100,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	0	0
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	0	0
Amortization Of Financing Origination Fees	0	0
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense	0	0
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans	0	0
Stock compensation expense	0	0
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	(507,731)	(465,598)
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Foreign currency adjustments	0	0
Other, net	(245)	0
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	355,922	342,657
Finance receivables-accrued interest and other	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(353,635)	(342,557)
Derivative instruments	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expenses, Other	0	0
Total adjustments	(506,237)	(465,498)
Net cash provided by operating activities	(645,992)	(565,498)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0
Origination of finance receivables	1,307,382	1,255,766
Collections of finance receivables	(801,390)	(790,268)
Other	0	0
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities	505,992	465,498
Proceeds from Issuance of Medium-term Notes	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany Borrowing Activity		0
Proceeds from Other Debt		0
Repayments of Securitization Debt	0	0
borrowings of asset backed commercial paper	0	0
Proceeds from (Repayments of) Credit Facility and Other Unsecured Debt	0	0
Net repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	0
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper		0
Net change in restricted cash	0	0
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	140,000	100,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	$ 0	$ 0