Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 26, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 27, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 839,700	$ 759,984	$ 694,013	$ 722,209
Marketable securities	5,004	5,519	45,122
Accounts receivable, net	335,578	285,106	311,960
Finance receivables, net	2,354,095	2,076,261	2,564,608
Inventories	485,476	499,917	553,750
Restricted cash	75,705	52,574	93,192
Deferred income taxes	0	0	115,585
Other current assets	142,362	174,491	113,520
Total current assets	4,237,920	3,853,852	4,491,750
Finance receivables, net	4,792,027	4,759,197	4,811,958
Property, plant and equipment, net	953,044	981,593	932,836
Goodwill	53,967	53,391	54,585
Deferred income taxes	165,196	167,729	82,188
Other long-term assets	79,701	74,478	94,354
Total assets	10,281,855	9,890,240	10,467,671
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	358,684	235,318	348,289
Accrued liabilities	547,637	486,652	587,504
Short-term debt	953,357	1,055,708	870,073
Current portion of long-term debt, net	697,061	1,084,884	782,140
Total current liabilities	2,556,739	2,862,562	2,588,006
Long-term debt, net	5,320,797	4,666,975	5,460,553
Pension liability	52,559	84,442	134,679
Postretirement healthcare benefits	171,143	173,267	191,704
Other long-term liabilities	187,208	182,836	199,909
Shareholders’ equity	1,993,409	1,920,158	1,892,820
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,281,855	9,890,240	10,467,671
Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles And Related Products Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	479,439	425,540	349,302	400,443
Marketable securities	5,004	5,019	45,122
Accounts receivable, net	740,231	450,186	811,276
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	485,476	499,917	553,750
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes			61,266
Other current assets	102,298	127,606	85,260
Total current assets	1,812,448	1,508,268	1,905,976
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	913,462	942,634	898,381
Goodwill	53,967	53,391	54,585
Deferred income taxes	98,291	103,487	75,999
Other long-term assets	137,712	132,835	135,449
Total assets	3,015,880	2,740,615	3,070,390
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	333,227	219,353	321,028
Accrued liabilities	442,181	395,907	477,762
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	775,408	615,260	798,790
Long-term debt, net	741,469	741,306	740,821
Pension liability	52,559	84,442	134,679
Postretirement healthcare benefits	171,143	173,267	191,704
Other long-term liabilities	152,974	150,391	170,318
Shareholders’ equity	1,122,327	975,949	1,034,078
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,015,880	2,740,615	3,070,390
Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	360,261	334,444	344,711	321,766
Marketable securities	0	500	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,354,095	2,076,261	2,564,608
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	75,705	52,574	93,192
Deferred income taxes			54,319
Other current assets	40,064	46,934	28,260
Total current assets	2,830,125	2,510,713	3,085,090
Finance receivables, net	4,792,027	4,759,197	4,811,958
Property, plant and equipment, net	39,582	38,959	34,455
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	68,306	66,152	7,783
Other long-term assets	25,790	24,769	40,171
Total assets	7,755,830	7,399,790	7,979,457
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	430,110	181,045	526,577
Accrued liabilities	105,060	90,910	109,455
Short-term debt	953,357	1,055,708	870,073
Current portion of long-term debt, net	697,061	1,084,884	782,140
Total current liabilities	2,185,588	2,412,547	2,288,245
Long-term debt, net	4,579,328	3,925,669	4,719,732
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	31,506	29,697	27,071
Shareholders’ equity	959,408	1,031,877	944,409
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,755,830	7,399,790	7,979,457
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	$ 0
Marketable securities	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(404,653)	(165,080)	(499,316)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes			0
Other current assets	0	(49)	0
Total current assets	(404,653)	(165,129)	(499,316)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(1,401)	(1,910)	(1,594)
Other long-term assets	(83,801)	(83,126)	(81,266)
Total assets	(489,855)	(250,165)	(582,176)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(404,653)	(165,080)	(499,316)
Accrued liabilities	396	(165)	287
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(404,257)	(165,245)	(499,029)
Long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	2,728	2,748	2,520
Shareholders’ equity	(88,326)	(87,668)	(85,667)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (489,855)	$ (250,165)	$ (582,176)