Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 25, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jun. 26, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 988,476	$ 759,984	$ 864,670	$ 722,209
Marketable securities	0	5,519	5,070
Accounts receivable, net	330,933	285,106	311,956
Finance receivables, net	2,338,533	2,076,261	2,457,974
Inventories	372,012	499,917	371,196
Restricted cash	63,225	52,574	78,078
Deferred income taxes	0	0	116,214
Other current assets	151,423	174,491	153,866
Total current assets	4,244,602	3,853,852	4,359,024
Finance receivables, net	4,994,002	4,759,197	4,824,071
Property, plant and equipment, net	946,326	981,593	951,309
Goodwill	54,630	53,391	54,542
Deferred income taxes	170,358	167,729	83,047
Other long-term assets	77,853	74,478	76,447
Total assets	10,487,771	9,890,240	10,348,440
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	327,346	235,318	273,696
Accrued liabilities	533,412	486,652	485,811
Short-term debt	928,445	1,055,708	1,020,487
Current portion of long-term debt, net	1,565,558	1,084,884	732,773
Total current liabilities	3,354,761	2,862,562	2,512,767
Long-term debt, net	4,678,350	4,666,975	5,308,063
Pension liability	51,797	84,442	129,465
Postretirement healthcare benefits	166,023	173,267	188,846
Other long-term liabilities	190,673	182,836	188,292
Shareholders’ equity	2,046,167	1,920,158	2,021,007
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,487,771	9,890,240	10,348,440
Reportable Legal Entities | Motorcycles And Related Products Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	586,892	425,540	445,662	400,443
Marketable securities		5,019	5,070
Accounts receivable, net	709,343	450,186	816,439
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	372,012	499,917	371,196
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes			60,497
Other current assets	108,162	127,606	124,923
Total current assets	1,776,409	1,508,268	1,823,787
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	905,244	942,634	916,388
Goodwill	54,630	53,391	54,542
Deferred income taxes	100,949	103,487	76,194
Other long-term assets	139,742	132,835	133,540
Total assets	2,976,974	2,740,615	3,004,451
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	298,372	219,353	239,380
Accrued liabilities	441,102	395,907	397,645
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	739,474	615,260	637,025
Long-term debt, net	741,633	741,306	740,982
Pension liability	51,797	84,442	129,465
Postretirement healthcare benefits	166,023	173,267	188,846
Other long-term liabilities	155,086	150,391	157,835
Shareholders’ equity	1,122,961	975,949	1,150,298
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,976,974	2,740,615	3,004,451
Reportable Legal Entities | Financial Services Operations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	401,584	334,444	419,008	321,766
Marketable securities		500	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	2,338,533	2,076,261	2,457,974
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	63,225	52,574	78,078
Deferred income taxes			55,717
Other current assets	43,261	46,934	38,203
Total current assets	2,846,603	2,510,713	3,048,980
Finance receivables, net	4,994,002	4,759,197	4,824,071
Property, plant and equipment, net	41,082	38,959	34,921
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	71,108	66,152	8,555
Other long-term assets	22,740	24,769	24,744
Total assets	7,975,535	7,399,790	7,941,271
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	407,384	181,045	538,799
Accrued liabilities	92,217	90,910	97,150
Short-term debt	928,445	1,055,708	1,020,487
Current portion of long-term debt, net	1,565,558	1,084,884	732,773
Total current liabilities	2,993,604	2,412,547	2,389,209
Long-term debt, net	3,936,717	3,925,669	4,567,081
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	32,714	29,697	27,621
Shareholders’ equity	1,012,500	1,031,877	957,360
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	7,975,535	7,399,790	7,941,271
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	$ 0
Marketable securities		0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(378,410)	(165,080)	(504,483)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes			0
Other current assets	0	(49)	(9,260)
Total current assets	(378,410)	(165,129)	(513,743)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(1,699)	(1,910)	(1,702)
Other long-term assets	(84,629)	(83,126)	(81,837)
Total assets	(464,738)	(250,165)	(597,282)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(378,410)	(165,080)	(504,483)
Accrued liabilities	93	(165)	(8,984)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(378,317)	(165,245)	(513,467)
Long-term debt, net	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	2,873	2,748	2,836
Shareholders’ equity	(89,294)	(87,668)	(86,651)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (464,738)	$ (250,165)	$ (597,282)