Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Apr. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 26, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 753,517	$ 687,521	$ 839,700
Marketable securities	0	0	5,004
Accounts receivable, net	355,107	329,986	335,578
Finance receivables, net	2,341,918	2,105,662	2,354,095
Inventories	564,571	538,202	485,476
Restricted cash	54,569	47,518	75,705
Other current assets	150,472	175,853	142,362
Total current assets	4,220,154	3,884,742	4,237,920
Finance receivables, net	4,784,524	4,859,424	4,792,027
Property, plant and equipment, net	934,645	967,781	953,044
Prepaid pension costs	122,230	19,816	0
Goodwill	56,524	55,947	53,967
Deferred income taxes	77,624	109,073	165,196
Other long-term assets	81,920	75,889	79,701
Total assets	10,277,621	9,972,672	10,281,855
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	319,040	227,597	358,684
Accrued liabilities	566,408	529,822	547,637
Short-term debt	1,036,976	1,273,482	953,357
Current portion of long-term debt, net	1,872,679	1,127,269	697,061
Total current liabilities	3,795,103	3,158,170	2,556,739
Long-term debt, net	4,108,511	4,587,258	5,320,797
Pension liability	54,921	54,606	52,559
Postretirement healthcare benefits	113,031	118,753	171,143
Other long-term liabilities	210,106	209,608	187,208
Shareholders’ equity	1,995,949	1,844,277	1,993,409
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,277,621	9,972,672	10,281,855
Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles And Related Products Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	403,009	338,186	479,439
Marketable securities			5,004
Accounts receivable, net	686,265	483,709	740,231
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	564,571	538,202	485,476
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Other current assets	108,613	132,999	102,298
Total current assets	1,762,458	1,493,096	1,812,448
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	887,522	922,280	913,462
Prepaid pension costs	122,230	19,816
Goodwill	56,524	55,947	53,967
Deferred income taxes	36,140	66,877	98,291
Other long-term assets	145,344	138,344	137,712
Total assets	3,010,218	2,696,360	3,015,880
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	297,162	214,263	333,227
Accrued liabilities	462,279	444,028	442,181
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	759,441	658,291	775,408
Long-term debt, net	742,126	741,961	741,469
Pension liability	54,921	54,606	52,559
Postretirement healthcare benefits	113,031	118,753	171,143
Other long-term liabilities	171,389	171,200	152,974
Shareholders’ equity	1,169,310	951,549	1,122,327
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,010,218	2,696,360	3,015,880
Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	350,508	349,335	360,261
Marketable securities			0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,341,918	2,105,662	2,354,095
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	54,569	47,518	75,705
Other current assets	44,724	48,521	40,064
Total current assets	2,791,719	2,551,036	2,830,125
Finance receivables, net	4,784,524	4,859,424	4,792,027
Property, plant and equipment, net	47,123	45,501	39,582
Prepaid pension costs	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	42,543	43,515	68,306
Other long-term assets	23,514	23,593	25,790
Total assets	7,689,423	7,523,069	7,755,830
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	353,036	167,057	430,110
Accrued liabilities	106,149	90,942	105,060
Short-term debt	1,036,976	1,273,482	953,357
Current portion of long-term debt, net	1,872,679	1,127,269	697,061
Total current liabilities	3,368,840	2,658,750	2,185,588
Long-term debt, net	3,366,385	3,845,297	4,579,328
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	35,899	35,503	31,506
Shareholders’ equity	918,299	983,519	959,408
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,689,423	7,523,069	7,755,830
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Marketable securities			0
Accounts receivable, net	(331,158)	(153,723)	(404,653)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Other current assets	(2,865)	(5,667)	0
Total current assets	(334,023)	(159,390)	(404,653)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Prepaid pension costs	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(1,059)	(1,319)	(1,401)
Other long-term assets	(86,938)	(86,048)	(83,801)
Total assets	(422,020)	(246,757)	(489,855)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(331,158)	(153,723)	(404,653)
Accrued liabilities	(2,020)	(5,148)	396
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(333,178)	(158,871)	(404,257)
Long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	2,818	2,905	2,728
Shareholders’ equity	(91,660)	(90,791)	(88,326)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (422,020)	$ (246,757)	$ (489,855)