Supplemental Consolidating Data (Cash Flows) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 26, 2017	Mar. 27, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 186,369	$ 250,489
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of intangibles	54,900	50,027
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	20,078	21,546
Amortization of financing origination fees	2,076	2,802
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense	7,475	9,503
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments	(29,957)	(29,641)
Stock compensation expense	6,992	7,053
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	(317,087)	(507,731)
Provision for credit losses	43,589	37,123
Deferred income taxes	3,989	3,636
Other, net	(5,334)	(7,302)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	(39,230)	(57,885)
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other	5,142	685
Inventories	23,476	40,539
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	182,928	222,800
Derivative instruments	3,120	1,196
Other	11,413	(3,709)
Total adjustments	(26,430)	(209,358)
Net cash provided by operating activities	159,939	41,131
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(23,967)	(39,011)
Origination of finance receivables	(844,692)	(815,697)
Collections on finance receivables	781,154	771,910
Other	52	95
Net cash used by investing activities	(87,453)	(82,703)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes	497,406	1,193,396
Repayments of medium-term notes	(400,000)	(450,000)
Repayments of securitization debt	(111,359)	(173,363)
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper	(101,702)	(331,090)
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper	305,209	5,814
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	(29,383)	(15,740)
Net change in restricted cash	(23,132)	(4,282)
Dividends paid	(64,611)	(64,457)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	(79,753)	(150,369)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments	0	110
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	7,336	276
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities	11	10,295
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	7,219	3,081
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	79,716	(28,196)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period	759,984	722,209
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	79,716	(28,196)
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	839,700	694,013
Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles And Related Products Operations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	260,445	357,102
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of intangibles	53,241	48,056
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	0	0
Amortization of financing origination fees	163	168
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense	7,475	9,503
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments	(29,957)	(29,641)
Stock compensation expense	6,317	6,389
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Deferred income taxes	6,728	6,034
Other, net	(6,728)	(7,576)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	(278,803)	(413,807)
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other	0	0
Inventories	23,476	40,539
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	154,372	189,425
Derivative instruments	3,120	1,196
Other	5,537	(8,910)
Total adjustments	(55,059)	(158,624)
Net cash provided by operating activities	205,386	198,478
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(21,686)	(38,031)
Origination of finance receivables	0	0
Collections on finance receivables	0	0
Other	52	95
Net cash used by investing activities	(21,634)	(37,936)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes	0	0
Repayments of medium-term notes	0	0
Repayments of securitization debt	0	0
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper	0	0
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper	0	0
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	0	0
Net change in restricted cash	0	0
Dividends paid	(64,611)	(64,457)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	(79,753)	(150,369)
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments		110
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	7,336	276
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities	(137,028)	(214,440)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	7,175	2,757
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	53,899	(51,141)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period	425,540	400,443
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	53,899	(51,141)
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	479,439	349,302
Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services Operations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	31,907	33,142
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of intangibles	1,659	1,971
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	20,078	21,546
Amortization of financing origination fees	1,913	2,634
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Expense	0	0
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments	0	0
Stock compensation expense	675	664
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	0	0
Provision for credit losses	43,589	37,123
Deferred income taxes	(2,230)	(1,850)
Other, net	1,411	519
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other	5,142	685
Inventories	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	263,011	387,010
Derivative instruments	0	0
Other	5,925	5,201
Total adjustments	341,173	455,503
Net cash provided by operating activities	373,080	488,645
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(2,281)	(980)
Origination of finance receivables	(1,932,599)	(2,123,079)
Collections on finance receivables	1,556,534	1,573,300
Other	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities	(378,346)	(550,759)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes	497,406	1,193,396
Repayments of medium-term notes	(400,000)	(450,000)
Repayments of securitization debt	(111,359)	(173,363)
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper	(101,702)	(331,090)
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper	305,209	5,814
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	(29,383)	(15,740)
Net change in restricted cash	(23,132)	(4,282)
Dividends paid	(106,000)	(140,000)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	0	0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments		0
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	0	0
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities	31,039	84,735
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	44	324
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	25,817	22,945
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of period	334,444	321,766
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	25,817	22,945
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	360,261	344,711
Eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	(105,983)	(139,755)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of intangibles	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
Employee benefit plan contributions and payments	0	0
Stock compensation expense	0	0
Net change in wholesale finance receivables related to sales	(317,087)	(507,731)
Provision for credit losses	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(509)	(548)
Other, net	(17)	(245)
Changes in current assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	239,573	355,922
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other	0	0
Inventories	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(234,455)	(353,635)
Derivative instruments	0	0
Other	(49)	0
Total adjustments	(312,544)	(506,237)
Net cash provided by operating activities	(418,527)	(645,992)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0
Origination of finance receivables	1,087,907	1,307,382
Collections on finance receivables	(775,380)	(801,390)
Other	0	0
Net cash used by investing activities	312,527	505,992
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes	0	0
Repayments of medium-term notes	0	0
Repayments of securitization debt	0	0
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper	0	0
Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper	0	0
Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper	0	0
Net change in restricted cash	0	0
Dividends paid	106,000	140,000
Purchase of common stock for treasury	0	0
Excess tax benefits from share-based payments		0
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	0	0
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities	106,000	140,000
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 in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	$ 0	$ 0