Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 25, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 27, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 790,284	$ 722,209	$ 1,368,554	$ 906,680
Marketable securities	5,038	45,192	47,358
Accounts receivable, net	346,176	247,405	294,054
Finance receivables, net	2,205,644	2,053,582	2,068,873
Inventories	426,547	585,907	466,657
Restricted cash	65,088	88,267	113,499
Deferred income taxes	123,609	102,769	100,558
Other current assets	139,958	132,552	150,667
Total current assets	4,102,344	3,977,883	4,610,220
Finance receivables, net	4,944,322	4,814,571	5,009,473
Property, plant and equipment, net	954,475	942,418	877,787
Goodwill	54,663	54,182	54,267
Deferred income taxes	80,831	99,614	71,952
Other long-term assets	75,591	84,309	88,335
Total assets	10,212,226	9,972,977	10,712,034
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	291,594	235,614	316,894
Accrued liabilities	506,533	471,964	464,352
Short-term debt	1,055,428	1,201,380	990,049
Current portion of long-term debt, net	700,152	838,349	885,889
Total current liabilities	2,553,707	2,747,307	2,657,184
Long-term debt, net	5,170,609	4,832,469	5,040,644
Pension liability	120,494	164,888	61,458
Postretirement healthcare benefits	182,825	193,659	193,406
Other long-term liabilities	192,223	195,000	199,669
Shareholders’ equity	1,992,368	1,839,654	2,559,673
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,212,226	9,972,977	10,712,034
Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles And Related Products Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	438,875	400,443	963,360	573,895
Marketable securities	5,038	45,192	47,358
Accounts receivable, net	751,770	390,799	725,828
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	426,547	585,907	466,657
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	61,611	56,319	53,218
Other current assets	110,060	90,824	121,953
Total current assets	1,793,901	1,569,484	2,378,374
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	917,984	906,972	845,297
Goodwill	54,663	54,182	54,267
Deferred income taxes	73,639	86,075	59,649
Other long-term assets	133,441	133,753	135,766
Total assets	2,973,628	2,750,466	3,473,353
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	268,945	220,050	290,154
Accrued liabilities	419,675	387,137	382,292
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	688,620	607,187	672,446
Long-term debt, net	741,144	740,653	741,057
Pension liability	120,494	164,888	61,458
Postretirement healthcare benefits	182,825	193,659	193,406
Other long-term liabilities	160,784	166,440	172,038
Shareholders’ equity	1,079,761	877,639	1,632,948
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,973,628	2,750,466	3,473,353
Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	351,409	321,766	405,194	332,785
Marketable securities	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,205,644	2,053,582	2,068,873
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	65,088	88,267	113,499
Deferred income taxes	61,998	46,450	47,340
Other current assets	41,305	43,807	37,893
Total current assets	2,725,444	2,553,872	2,672,799
Finance receivables, net	4,944,322	4,814,571	5,009,473
Property, plant and equipment, net	36,491	35,446	32,490
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	9,066	15,681	14,232
Other long-term assets	24,605	31,158	32,522
Total assets	7,739,928	7,450,728	7,761,516
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	428,243	158,958	458,514
Accrued liabilities	98,268	89,048	93,168
Short-term debt	1,055,428	1,201,380	990,049
Current portion of long-term debt, net	700,152	838,349	885,889
Total current liabilities	2,282,091	2,287,735	2,427,620
Long-term debt, net	4,429,465	4,091,816	4,299,587
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	28,425	28,560	27,631
Shareholders’ equity	999,947	1,042,617	1,006,678
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,739,928	7,450,728	7,761,516
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	$ 0
Marketable securities	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(405,594)	(143,394)	(431,774)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0	0
Other current assets	(11,407)	(2,079)	(9,179)
Total current assets	(417,001)	(145,473)	(440,953)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(1,874)	(2,142)	(1,929)
Other long-term assets	(82,455)	(80,602)	(79,953)
Total assets	(501,330)	(228,217)	(522,835)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(405,594)	(143,394)	(431,774)
Accrued liabilities	(11,410)	(4,221)	(11,108)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(417,004)	(147,615)	(442,882)
Long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	3,014	0	0
Shareholders’ equity	(87,340)	(80,602)	(79,953)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (501,330)	$ (228,217)	$ (522,835)