Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 25, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 978,749	$ 687,521	$ 988,476
Accounts receivable, net	335,594	329,986	330,933
Finance receivables, net	2,252,956	2,105,662	2,338,533
Inventories	465,373	538,202	372,012
Restricted cash	44,386	47,518	63,225
Other current assets	166,362	175,853	151,423
Total current assets	4,243,420	3,884,742	4,244,602
Finance receivables, net	5,060,246	4,859,424	4,994,002
Property, plant and equipment, net	904,113	967,781	946,326
Prepaid pension costs	131,497	19,816	0
Goodwill	55,451	55,947	54,630
Deferred income taxes	67,505	109,073	170,358
Other long-term assets	83,790	75,889	77,853
Total assets	10,546,022	9,972,672	10,487,771
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	287,214	227,597	327,346
Accrued liabilities	572,440	529,822	533,412
Short-term debt	1,327,307	1,273,482	928,445
Current portion of long-term debt, net	945,463	1,127,269	1,565,558
Total current liabilities	3,132,424	3,158,170	3,354,761
Long-term debt, net	4,868,346	4,587,258	4,678,350
Pension liability	55,819	54,606	51,797
Postretirement healthcare benefits	113,464	118,753	166,023
Other long-term liabilities	214,443	209,608	190,673
Shareholders’ equity	2,161,526	1,844,277	2,046,167
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,546,022	9,972,672	10,487,771
Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles And Related Products Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	627,783	338,186	586,892
Accounts receivable, net	669,266	483,709	709,343
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	465,373	538,202	372,012
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Other current assets	124,521	132,999	108,162
Total current assets	1,886,943	1,493,096	1,776,409
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	854,681	922,280	905,244
Prepaid pension costs	131,497	19,816
Goodwill	55,451	55,947	54,630
Deferred income taxes	27,043	66,877	100,949
Other long-term assets	151,691	138,344	139,742
Total assets	3,107,306	2,696,360	2,976,974
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	262,562	214,263	298,372
Accrued liabilities	481,402	444,028	441,102
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	743,964	658,291	739,474
Long-term debt, net	742,292	741,961	741,633
Pension liability	55,819	54,606	51,797
Postretirement healthcare benefits	113,464	118,753	166,023
Other long-term liabilities	174,412	171,200	155,086
Shareholders’ equity	1,277,355	951,549	1,122,961
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,107,306	2,696,360	2,976,974
Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	350,966	349,335	401,584
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,252,956	2,105,662	2,338,533
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	44,386	47,518	63,225
Other current assets	41,841	48,521	43,261
Total current assets	2,690,149	2,551,036	2,846,603
Finance receivables, net	5,060,246	4,859,424	4,994,002
Property, plant and equipment, net	49,432	45,501	41,082
Prepaid pension costs	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	41,696	43,515	71,108
Other long-term assets	19,999	23,593	22,740
Total assets	7,861,522	7,523,069	7,975,535
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	358,324	167,057	407,384
Accrued liabilities	90,416	90,942	92,217
Short-term debt	1,327,307	1,273,482	928,445
Current portion of long-term debt, net	945,463	1,127,269	1,565,558
Total current liabilities	2,721,510	2,658,750	2,993,604
Long-term debt, net	4,126,054	3,845,297	3,936,717
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	36,997	35,503	32,714
Shareholders’ equity	976,961	983,519	1,012,500
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,861,522	7,523,069	7,975,535
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(333,672)	(153,723)	(378,410)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Other current assets	0	(5,667)	0
Total current assets	(333,672)	(159,390)	(378,410)
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	(1,234)	(1,319)	(1,699)
Other long-term assets	(87,900)	(86,048)	(84,629)
Total assets	(422,806)	(246,757)	(464,738)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(333,672)	(153,723)	(378,410)
Accrued liabilities	622	(5,148)	93
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(333,050)	(158,871)	(378,317)
Long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	3,034	2,905	2,873
Shareholders’ equity	(92,790)	(90,791)	(89,294)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (422,806)	$ (246,757)	$ (464,738)