Employee Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Dec. 31, 2010

Employee Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract]

Schedule Of Obligation And Funded Status

	Pension and SERPA Benefits						Postretirement Healthcare Benefits
	2011			2010			2011			2010
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation, beginning of period	$	1,390,374		$	1,284,722		$	378,341		$	377,283
Service cost		37,341			42,889			7,630			9,957
Interest cost		80,805			77,996			19,644			20,774
Plan amendments		—			1,855			—			(22,282	)
Actuarial losses (gains)		127,259			46,035			(1,364	)		(231	)
Plan participant contributions		3,441			3,840			1,527			1,431
Early Retirement Reinsurance Program Proceeds		—			—			2,249			—
Benefits paid, net of Medicare Part D subsidy		(68,525	)		(81,188	)		(27,402	)		(23,729	)
Net curtailments and settlements		235			14,225			—			15,138
Benefit obligation, end of period		1,570,930			1,390,374			380,625			378,341
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of period		1,105,487			1,026,124			121,064			109,143
Actual return on plan assets		8,129			136,711			820			15,151
Company contributions		205,383			20,000			14,111			19,957
Plan participant contributions		3,441			3,840			1,527			1,431
Benefits paid		(68,524	)		(81,188	)		(28,362	)		(24,618	)
Fair value of plan assets, end of period		1,253,916			1,105,487			109,160			121,064
Funded status of the plans, December 31	$	(317,014	)	$	(284,887	)	$	(271,465	)	$	(257,277	)
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, December 31:
Accrued benefit liability (other current liabilities)	$	(14,531	)	$	(2,802	)	$	(2,883	)	$	(2,515	)
Accrued benefit liability (other long-term liabilities)		(302,483	)		(282,085	)		(268,582	)		(254,762	)
Net amount recognized	$	(317,014	)	$	(284,887	)	$	(271,465	)	$	(257,277	)

Components Of Net Periodic Benefit Costs

	Pension and SERPA Benefits									Postretirement Healthcare Benefits
	2011			2010			2009			2011			2010			2009
Service cost	$	37,341		$	42,889		$	47,308		$	7,630		$	9,957		$	11,390
Interest cost		80,805			77,996			74,578			19,644			20,774			22,449
Expected return on plan assets		(106,612	)		(97,376	)		(86,225	)		(9,386	)		(9,781	)		(11,175	)
Amortization of unrecognized:
Prior service cost (credit)		2,981			4,383			5,553			(3,878	)		(2,914	)		(1,299	)
Net loss		30,266			23,872			12,755			7,192			9,394			5,924
Net curtailment loss		236			15,508			29,390			—			11,643			7,014
Settlement loss		274			4,673			1,411			—			—			—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	45,291		$	71,945		$	84,770		$	21,202		$	39,073		$	34,303

Schedule Of Net Periodic Benefit Cost Recognized In Accumulated And Other Comprehensive Income

	Pension and SERPA Benefits		Postretirement Healthcare Benefits			Total
Prior service cost (credit)	$	5,352	$	(18,348	)	$	(12,996	)
Net actuarial loss		462,004		83,994			545,998
	$	467,356	$	65,646		$	533,002

Schedule Of Net Periodic Benefit Cost Expected To Be Recognized

	Pension and SERPA Benefits		Postretirement Healthcare Benefits			Total
Prior service cost (credit)	$	1,862	$	(2,426	)	$	(564	)
Net actuarial loss		27,623		4,672			32,295
	$	29,485	$	2,246		$	31,731

Schedule Of Assumptions Used To Determine Net Periodic Benefit Cost

	Pension and SERPA Benefits									Postretirement Healthcare Benefits
	2011			2010			2009			2011			2010			2009
Assumptions for benefit obligations:
Discount rate		5.30	%		5.79	%		6.00	%		4.90	%		5.28	%		5.65	%
Rate of compensation		3.49	%		3.49	%		3.66	%		n/a			n/a			n/a
Assumptions for net periodic benefit cost:
Discount rate		5.79	%		6.00	%		6.10	%		5.28	%		5.65	%		6.10	%
Expected return on plan assets		8.00	%		8.25	%		8.25	%		8.00	%		8.25	%		8.25	%
Rate of compensation increase		3.49	%		3.66	%		3.64	%		n/a			n/a			n/a

Schedule Of PBO In Excess Of Fair Value Of Plan Assets

	2011		2010
Pension plans with PBOs in excess of fair value of plan assets:
PBO	$	1,530.0	$	1,351.6
Fair value of plan assets	$	1,253.9	$	1,105.5
Number of plans		4		4

Schedule Of ABO In Excess Of Fair Value Of Plan Assets

	2011		2010
Pension plans with ABOs in excess of fair value of plan assets:
ABO	$	1,436.8	$	1,280.8
Fair value of plan assets	$	1,253.9	$	1,105.5
Number of plans		4		4

Schedule Of Fair Value Of Pension Plan Assets

	Balance as of December 31, 2011		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	48,286	$	—	$	48,286	$	—
Equity holdings:
U.S. companies		533,030		529,630		3,400		—
Foreign companies		55,555		55,555		—		—
Harley-Davidson common stock		49,505		49,505		—		—
Pooled equity funds		166,460		166,460		—		—
Limited partnership interests		40,016		—		—		40,016
Other		2,111		—		—		2,111
Total equity holdings		846,677		801,150		3,400		42,127
Fixed-income holdings:
U.S. Treasuries		50,715		50,715		—		—
Federal agencies		51,290		—		51,290		—
Corporate bonds		77,295		—		77,295		—
Pooled fixed income funds		172,968		172,968		—		—
Foreign bonds		6,312		—		6,312		—
Municipal bonds		373		—		373		—
Total fixed-income holdings		358,953		223,683		135,270		—
Total pension plan assets	$	1,253,916	$	1,024,833	$	186,956	$	42,127

	Balance as of December 31, 2010		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	29,402	$	—	$	29,402	$	—
Equity holdings:
U.S. companies		509,976		508,304		1,672		—
Foreign companies		56,133		56,133		—		—
Harley-Davidson common stock		44,155		44,155		—		—
Pooled equity funds		136,693		136,693		—		—
Limited partnership interests		40,421		—		—		40,421
Other		2,211		—		—		2,211
Total equity holdings		789,589		745,285		1,672		42,632
Fixed-income holdings:
U.S. Treasuries		35,239		35,239		—		—
Federal agencies		48,166		—		48,166		—
Corporate bonds		86,783		—		86,783		—
Pooled fixed income funds		107,084		107,084		—		—
Foreign bonds		8,853		—		8,853		—
Municipal bonds		371		—		371		—
Total fixed-income holdings		286,496		142,323		144,173		—
Total pension plan assets	$	1,105,487	$	887,608	$	175,247	$	42,632

Schedule Of Reconciliation Of The Fair Value Measurements Using Significant Unobservable Inputs

	Total			Limited Partnership Interests			Other
Balance, beginning of period	$	42,632		$	40,421		$	2,211
Actual return on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held at the reporting date		(2,888	)		(3,018	)		130
Purchases, sales and settlements		2,383			2,613			(230	)
Balance, end of period	$	42,127		$	40,016		$	2,111

	Total		Limited Partnership Interests		Other
Balance, beginning of period	$	32,814	$	30,332	$	2,482
Actual return on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held at the reporting date		4,227		4,086		141
Purchases, sales and settlements		5,591		6,003		(412	)
Balance, end of period	$	42,632	$	40,421	$	2,211

Schedule Of Fair Value Of Post Retirement Healthcare Plan Assets

	Balance as of December 31, 2011		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	1,858	$	—	$	1,858
Equity holdings:
U.S. companies		79,544		79,091		453
Foreign companies		10,365		10,365		—
Total equity holdings		89,909		89,456		453
Fixed-income holdings:
U.S. Treasuries		7,237		7,237		—
Federal agencies		4,172		—		4,172
Corporate bonds		5,537		—		5,537
Foreign bonds		307		—		307
Municipal bonds		140		—		140
Total fixed-income holdings		17,393		7,237		10,156
Total postretirement healthcare plan assets	$	109,160	$	96,693	$	12,467

	Balance as of December 31, 2010		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	14,404	$	—	$	14,404
Equity holdings:
U.S. companies		80,915		80,577		338
Foreign companies		9,365		9,365		—
Total equity holdings		90,280		89,942		338
Fixed-income holdings:
U.S. Treasuries		3,507		3,507		—
Federal agencies		6,116		—		6,116
Corporate bonds		6,158		—		6,158
Foreign bonds		459		—		459
Municipal bonds		140		—		140
Total fixed-income holdings		16,380		3,507		12,873
Total postretirement healthcare plan assets	$	121,064	$	93,449	$	27,615

Schedule Of Weighted Average Health Care Cost Trend Rate

	2011			2010
Healthcare cost trend rate for next year		8.5	%		8.5	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (the ultimate rate)		5.0	%		5.0	%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate		2019			2019

Schedule Of Weighted Average Health Care Cost Trend Rate Assumption

	One Percent Increase		One Percent Decrease
Total of service and interest cost components in 2011	$	906	$	(879	)
Accumulated benefit obligation as of December 31, 2011	$	14,225	$	(13,231	)

Schedule Of Expected Benefit Payments And Medicare Subsidy Receipts For Next Five Years And Thereafter

	Pension Benefits		SERPA Benefits		Postretirement Healthcare Benefits		Medicare Subsidy Receipts
2012	$	66,118	$	14,531	$	30,239	$	1,187
2013	$	66,232	$	2,096	$	31,666	$	1,390
2014	$	67,171	$	3,042	$	32,192	$	1,594
2015	$	68,654	$	1,529	$	32,052	$	1,788
2016	$	70,532	$	1,711	$	31,629	$	2,014
2017-2021	$	411,974	$	10,843	$	157,494	$	13,279