Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011
Product Liability Contingency [Line Items]
Standard product warranty description	Polaris provides a limited warranty for ORVs for a period of six months and for a period of one year for its snowmobiles and motorcycles. Polaris may provide longer warranties related to certain promotional programs, as well as longer warranties in certain geographical markets as determined by local regulations and market conditions. Polaris’ standard warranties require the Company or its dealers to repair or replace defective product during such warranty period at no cost to the consumer. The warranty reserve is established at the time of sale to the dealer or distributor based on management’s best estimate using historical rates and trends.
Snowmobiles
Product Liability Contingency [Line Items]
Period of warranties provided by polaris	6 months
Motorcycles
Product Liability Contingency [Line Items]
Period of warranties provided by polaris	1 year