Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Apr. 01, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,018,759,000	$ 1,068,138,000	$ 1,276,337,000	$ 1,526,950,000
Marketable securities	135,246,000	135,634,000	134,946,000
Accounts receivable, net	259,673,000	230,079,000	264,272,000
CurrentFinanceReceivables,net	2,074,036,000	1,743,045,000	1,885,489,000
Inventories	416,050,000	393,524,000	467,941,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	197,025,000	188,008,000	246,995,000
Other current assets	232,190,000	292,508,000	237,550,000
Total current assets	4,332,979,000	4,050,936,000	4,513,530,000
Finance receivables, net	3,959,903,000	4,038,807,000	3,991,914,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	790,245,000	815,464,000	791,064,000
Goodwill	28,861,000	29,530,000	29,740,000
Other long-term assets	223,133,000	236,036,000	279,099,000
Total assets	9,335,121,000	9,170,773,000	9,605,347,000
Accounts payable	360,018,000	257,386,000	355,902,000
Accrued liabilities	464,317,000	513,591,000	577,619,000
Short-term Debt	687,705,000	294,943,000	629,143,000
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	715,143,000	437,162,000	1,020,563,000
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities			1,020,563,000
Total current liabilities	2,227,183,000	1,503,082,000	2,583,227,000
Long-term debt	3,892,469,000	4,370,544,000	3,918,384,000
Pension liability	152,132,000	330,294,000	118,212,000
Postretirement healthcare benefits	274,597,000	278,062,000	265,871,000
Other long-term liabilities	131,692,000	131,167,000	144,994,000
Total shareholders' equity	2,657,048,000	2,557,624,000	2,574,659,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	9,335,121,000	9,170,773,000	9,605,347,000
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	672,977,000	727,716,000	929,028,000	943,330,000
Marketable securities	135,246,000	135,634,000	134,946,000
Accounts receivable, net	966,688,000	781,642,000	581,569,000
CurrentFinanceReceivables,net	0	0	0
Inventories	416,050,000	393,524,000	467,941,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Other current assets	174,125,000	230,905,000	174,053,000
Total current assets	2,365,086,000	2,269,421,000	2,287,537,000
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	758,333,000	783,068,000	761,191,000
Goodwill	28,861,000	29,530,000	29,740,000
Other long-term assets	282,675,000	292,764,000	336,167,000
Total assets	3,434,955,000	3,374,783,000	3,414,635,000
Accounts payable	291,162,000	221,064,000	280,738,000
Accrued liabilities	369,127,000	439,144,000	478,227,000
Short-term Debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	303,000,000	0
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities			0
Total current liabilities	963,289,000	660,208,000	758,965,000
Long-term debt	0	303,000,000	303,000,000
Pension liability	152,132,000	330,294,000	118,212,000
Postretirement healthcare benefits	274,597,000	278,062,000	265,871,000
Other long-term liabilities	114,536,000	114,476,000	130,278,000
Total shareholders' equity	1,930,401,000	1,688,743,000	1,838,309,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,434,955,000	3,374,783,000	3,414,635,000
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	345,782,000	340,422,000	347,309,000	583,620,000
Marketable securities	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
CurrentFinanceReceivables,net	2,074,036,000	1,743,045,000	1,885,489,000
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	197,025,000	188,008,000	246,995,000
Other current assets	58,065,000	57,609,000	63,497,000
Total current assets	2,674,908,000	2,329,084,000	2,543,290,000
Finance receivables, net	3,959,903,000	4,038,807,000	3,991,914,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	31,912,000	32,396,000	29,873,000
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other long-term assets	16,703,000	19,468,000	15,970,000
Total assets	6,683,426,000	6,419,755,000	6,581,047,000
Accounts payable	775,871,000	587,885,000	392,461,000
Accrued liabilities	98,467,000	74,447,000	102,722,000
Short-term Debt	687,705,000	294,943,000	629,143,000
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	412,143,000	437,162,000
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities			1,020,563,000
Total current liabilities	1,974,186,000	1,394,437,000	2,144,889,000
Long-term debt	3,892,469,000	4,067,544,000	3,615,384,000
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	17,156,000	16,691,000	14,716,000
Total shareholders' equity	799,615,000	941,083,000	806,058,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,683,426,000	6,419,755,000	6,581,047,000
Eliminations & Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Marketable securities	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(707,015,000)	(551,563,000)	(317,297,000)
CurrentFinanceReceivables,net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Other current assets	0	3,994,000	0
Total current assets	(707,015,000)	(547,569,000)	(317,297,000)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other long-term assets	(76,245,000)	(76,196,000)	(73,038,000)
Total assets	(783,260,000)	(623,765,000)	(390,335,000)
Accounts payable	(707,015,000)	(551,563,000)	(317,297,000)
Accrued liabilities	(3,277,000)	0	(3,330,000)
Short-term Debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities			0
Total current liabilities	(710,292,000)	(551,563,000)	(320,627,000)
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(72,968,000)	(72,202,000)	(69,708,000)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (783,260,000)	$ (623,765,000)	$ (390,335,000)