Financial Services Arrangements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Amount financed for dealers under the arrangement, net	$ 716,449,000
Aggregate repurchase obligation, amount	78,905,000
Finance
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Investments in finance affiliate	47,521,000	42,251,000
Polaris Acceptance
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	50.00%
Amount financed for dealers under the arrangement, net	133,464,000
Securitized Receivables
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Amount financed for dealers under the arrangement, net	$ 582,985,000
Securitized Receivables \| Maximum
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Aggregate repurchase obligation, percentage	15.00%

Financial assets accounted for as sale, repurchase commitment percent of outstanding month end balances.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a (1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Total investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

This is the result of the principal amount outstanding of total loans managed or securitized less securitized loans and loans that are in the process of being securitized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=13989330&loc=d3e107314-111719

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS140-4 and FIN46(R)-8

-Paragraph B11

-Subparagraph b

-Clause 6

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 140

-Paragraph 17

-Subparagraph i

-Subclause a

-Clause 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Represents the initial fair value recorded for liabilities incurred on transfer of financial assets in a securitization, asset-backed financing arrangement, or a similar transfer which transaction is recognized as a sale of the transferred financial assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 140

-Paragraph 17

-Subparagraph f

-Subclause a

-Clause 1

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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