Supplemental Consolidating Data (Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income (loss)		$ 599,114	$ 146,545	$ (55,116)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax		51,036	(113,124)	(125,757)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		548,078	259,669	70,641
Depreciation		180,408	255,171	246,344
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs		78,695	87,223	66,779
Amortization of financing origination fees		10,790	19,618	27,145
Provision for employee long-term benefits		59,441	79,630	80,387
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans		(219,695)	(39,391)	(233,224)
Stock compensation expense		38,192	30,431	17,576
Net change in wholesale finance receivables		(2,335)	81,527	332,167
Origination of retail finance receivables held for sale				(1,180,467)
Collections on retail finance receivables held for sale				919,201
Impairment of retained securitization interests				45,370
Lower of cost or fair market value adjustment on finance receivables held for sale				5,895
Goodwill and other impairments				46,411
Provision for credit losses		17,031	93,118	169,206
Loss on debt extinguishment	(85,200)	9,608	85,247
Pension and postretirement healthcare plan curtailment and settlement expense		236	31,824	37,814
Deferred income taxes		87,873	(17,591)	6,931
Foreign currency adjustments		10,678	(21,480)	(22,234)
Other, net		(15,807)	11,910	9,665
Accounts receivable		43,050	2,905	8,809
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other		5,027	10,083	(3,360)
Inventories		(94,957)	2,516	85,472
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		120,291	215,013	(201,195)
Restructuring reserves		8,072	(32,477)	65,988
Derivative instruments		(2,488)	5,339	4,711
Other		3,103	3,133	2,978
Total adjustments		337,213	903,749	538,369
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations		885,291	1,163,418	609,010
Capital expenditures		(189,035)	(170,845)	(116,748)
Origination of finance receivables		(2,622,024)	(2,252,532)	(1,378,226)
Collections on finance receivables held for investment		2,760,049	2,668,962	607,168
Collection of retained securitization interests				61,170
Purchases of marketable securities		(142,653)	(184,365)	(39,685)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities		130,121	84,217
Other, net				2,834
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations		(63,542)	145,437	(863,487)
Proceeds from issuance of medium term notes		447,076		496,514
Repayment of medium term notes		(59,211)	(200,000)
Repayment of senior unsecured notes			(380,757)
Proceeds from issuance of senior unsecured notes				595,026
Proceeds from securitization debt		1,082,599	598,187	2,413,192
Repayments of securitization debt		(1,754,568)	(1,896,665)	(263,083)
Net increase/(decrease) in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper		237,827	30,575	(1,083,331)
Net repayments in asset-backed commercial paper		(483)	(845)	(513,168)
Net change in restricted cash		59,232	77,654	(167,667)
Dividends		(111,011)	(94,145)	(93,807)
Purchase of common stock for treasury, net of issuances		(224,548)	(1,706)	(1,920)
Excess tax benefits from share based payments		6,303	3,767	170
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans		7,840	7,845	11
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations		(308,944)	(1,856,090)	1,381,937
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations		(7,788)	4,940	6,789
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations		505,017	(542,295)	1,134,249
Cash flows from operating activities of discontinued operations			(71,073)	(71,298)
Cash flows from investing activities of discontinued operations				(18,805)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations			(1,195)	(1,208)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations			(72,268)	(91,311)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		505,017	(614,563)	1,042,938
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period		1,021,933	1,630,433	568,894
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations - beginning of period			6,063	24,664
Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations - end of period				(6,063)
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	1,021,933	1,526,950	1,021,933	1,630,433
Motorcycles & Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income (loss)		558,807	32,226	29,399
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax		51,036	(113,124)	(125,757)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		507,771	145,350	155,156
Depreciation		173,959	248,246	238,276
Amortization of financing origination fees		473	878	872
Provision for employee long-term benefits		55,942	78,812	80,387
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans		(219,695)	(39,391)	(233,224)
Stock compensation expense		35,404	28,105	16,326
Goodwill and other impairments				18,024
Loss on debt extinguishment			85,247
Pension and postretirement healthcare plan curtailment and settlement expense		236	31,824	37,814
Deferred income taxes		71,555	(16,774)	26,914
Foreign currency adjustments		10,678	(21,480)	(22,234)
Other, net		(16,650)	13,178	8,827
Accounts receivable		60,403	(101,462)	226,334
Inventories		(94,957)	2,516	85,472
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		81,670	196,155	(175,936)
Restructuring reserves		8,072	(32,258)	65,346
Derivative instruments		(2,519)	(813)	10,591
Other		1,154	3,888	1,133
Total adjustments		165,725	476,671	384,922
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations		673,496	622,021	540,078
Capital expenditures		(179,988)	(167,730)	(111,316)
Purchases of marketable securities		(142,653)	(184,365)	(39,685)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities		130,121	84,217
Other, net				2,834
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations		(192,520)	(267,878)	(148,167)
Repayment of senior unsecured notes			(380,757)
Proceeds from issuance of senior unsecured notes				595,026
Net increase/(decrease) in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper			(178,292)	20,476
Dividends		(111,011)	(94,145)	(93,807)
Purchase of common stock for treasury, net of issuances		(224,548)	(1,706)	(1,920)
Excess tax benefits from share based payments		6,303	3,767	170
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans		7,840	7,845	11
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations		(321,416)	(643,288)	519,956
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations		(8,021)	5,279	7,193
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations		151,539	(283,866)	919,060
Cash flows from operating activities of discontinued operations			(71,073)	(71,298)
Cash flows from investing activities of discontinued operations				(18,805)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations			(1,195)	(1,208)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations			(72,268)	(91,311)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		151,539	(356,134)	827,749
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period		791,791	1,141,862	295,512
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations - beginning of period			6,063	24,664
Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations - end of period				(6,063)
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	791,791	943,330	791,791	1,141,862
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income (loss)		165,307	114,319	(84,515)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		165,307	114,319	(84,515)
Depreciation		6,449	6,925	8,068
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs		78,695	87,223	66,779
Amortization of financing origination fees		10,317	18,740	26,273
Provision for employee long-term benefits		3,499	818
Stock compensation expense		2,788	2,326	1,250
Origination of retail finance receivables held for sale				(1,180,467)
Collections on retail finance receivables held for sale				919,201
Impairment of retained securitization interests				45,370
Lower of cost or fair market value adjustment on finance receivables held for sale				5,895
Goodwill and other impairments				28,387
Provision for credit losses		17,031	93,118	169,206
Loss on debt extinguishment		9,608
Deferred income taxes		16,318	(817)	(19,983)
Other, net		843	(1,268)	838
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other		5,027	10,083	(3,360)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(25,989)	170,832	(242,784)
Restructuring reserves			(219)	642
Derivative instruments		31	6,152	(5,880)
Other		49,524	(48,330)	1,845
Total adjustments		174,141	345,583	(178,720)
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations		339,448	459,902	(263,235)
Capital expenditures		(9,047)	(3,115)	(5,432)
Origination of finance receivables		(6,056,242)	(5,319,738)	(4,569,104)
Collections on finance receivables held for investment		6,191,932	5,817,695	4,130,213
Collection of retained securitization interests				61,170
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations		126,643	494,842	(383,153)
Proceeds from issuance of medium term notes		447,076		496,514
Repayment of medium term notes		(59,211)	(200,000)
Proceeds from securitization debt		1,082,599	598,187	2,413,192
Repayments of securitization debt		(1,754,568)	(1,896,665)	(263,083)
Net increase/(decrease) in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper		237,827	208,867	(1,103,807)
Net repayments in asset-backed commercial paper		(483)	(845)	(513,168)
Net change in restricted cash		59,232	77,654	(167,667)
Dividends		(125,000)
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations		(112,528)	(1,212,802)	861,981
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations		(85)	(371)	(404)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations		353,478	(258,429)	215,189
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		353,478	(258,429)	215,189
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period		230,142	488,571	273,382
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	230,142	583,620	230,142	488,571
Eliminations & Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income (loss)		(125,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		(125,000)
Net change in wholesale finance receivables		(2,335)	81,527	332,167
Accounts receivable		(17,353)	104,367	(217,525)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		64,610	(151,974)	217,525
Other		(47,575)	47,575
Total adjustments		(2,653)	81,495	332,167
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations		(127,653)	81,495	332,167
Origination of finance receivables		3,434,218	3,067,206	3,190,878
Collections on finance receivables held for investment		(3,431,883)	(3,148,733)	(3,523,045)
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations		2,335	(81,527)	(332,167)
Dividends		125,000
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations		125,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations		$ 318	$ 32