Supplemental Consolidating Data (Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations	$ 172,035		$ 119,260
Depreciation	43,203		42,947
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	18,547		19,329
Amortization of financing origination fees	2,743		3,107
Provision for employee long-term benefits	17,293		15,563
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans	(206,832)		(204,816)
Stock compensation expense	11,744		9,153
Net change in wholesale finance receivables	(151,046)		(163,967)
Provision for credit losses	9,014		5,606
Pension and postretirement healthcare plan curtailment and settlement expense			236
Foreign currency adjustments	(2,911)		29
Other, net	1,505		14,112
Accounts receivable	(43,745)		(27,048)
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other	3,299		3,542
Inventories	(47,168)		(38,200)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	117,460		98,960
Restructuring reserves	1,296	7,500	7,757
Derivative instruments	(486)		2,157
Other	(19,567)		(12,645)
Total adjustments	245,651		224,178
Net cash (used by) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(73,616)		(104,918)
Capital expenditures	(24,680)		(27,704)
Origination of finance receivables	(645,247)		(549,200)
Collections of finance receivables	681,904		676,952
Purchases of marketable securities			(5,000)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities	20,042		29,974
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations	32,019		125,022
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes	397,377		447,076
Repayments of securitization debt	(333,026)		(430,471)
Net borrowings of unsecured commercial paper	(211,669)
Net decrease in credit facilities	(12,839)
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper	(224,508)		(96,174)
Net change in restricted cash	(17,340)		(6,016)
Dividends paid	(35,943)		(23,643)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	(20,745)		(4,699)
Excess tax benefits from share based payments	7,962		3,262
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	16,281		3,861
Net cash used by financing activities of continuing operations	(209,942)		(106,804)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations	926		(2,693)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations	(250,613)		(89,393)
Cash flows from operating activities of discontinued operations			(25)
Cash flows from investing activities of discontinued operations
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operations			(25)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(250,613)		(89,418)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	1,526,950		1,021,933
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations - beginning of period
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(250,613)		(89,418)
Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations - end of period
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	1,276,337	1,526,950	932,515
Motorcycles & Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations	355,714		202,433
Depreciation	41,708		41,340
Amortization of financing origination fees	118		118
Provision for employee long-term benefits	16,780		16,445
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans	(206,832)		(204,816)
Stock compensation expense	10,967		8,481
Pension and postretirement healthcare plan curtailment and settlement expense			236
Foreign currency adjustments	(2,911)		29
Other, net	(1,954)		1,884
Accounts receivable	(186,466)		(167,885)
Inventories	(47,168)		(38,200)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	57,993		39,517
Restructuring reserves	1,296		7,757
Derivative instruments	(390)		2,178
Other	(18,058)		(12,706)
Total adjustments	334,917		305,622
Net cash (used by) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	20,797		(103,189)
Capital expenditures	(23,441)		(26,460)
Purchases of marketable securities			(5,000)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities	20,042		29,974
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations	(3,399)		(1,486)
Dividends paid	(35,943)		(23,643)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	(20,745)		(4,699)
Excess tax benefits from share based payments	7,962		3,262
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans	16,281		3,861
Net cash used by financing activities of continuing operations	(32,445)		(21,219)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations	745		(2,846)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations	(14,302)		(128,740)
Cash flows from operating activities of discontinued operations			(25)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operations			(25)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(14,302)		(128,765)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	943,330		791,791
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(14,302)		(128,765)
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	929,028		663,026
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations	41,321		41,827
Depreciation	1,495		1,607
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs	18,547		19,329
Amortization of financing origination fees	2,625		2,989
Provision for employee long-term benefits	513		(882)
Stock compensation expense	777		672
Provision for credit losses	9,014		5,606
Other, net	3,459		12,228
Finance receivables - accrued interest and other	3,299		3,542
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	202,188		152,692
Derivative instruments	(96)		(21)
Other	(1,509)		47,636
Total adjustments	(240,312)		(245,398)
Net cash (used by) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	281,633		287,225
Capital expenditures	(1,239)		(1,244)
Origination of finance receivables	(1,617,867)		(1,406,139)
Collections of finance receivables	1,503,478		1,369,924
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations	(115,628)		(37,459)
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes	397,377		447,076
Repayments of securitization debt	(333,026)		(430,471)
Net borrowings of unsecured commercial paper	(211,669)
Net decrease in credit facilities	(12,839)
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper			(96,174)
Net change in restricted cash	(17,340)		(6,016)
Dividends paid	(225,000)		(125,000)
Net cash used by financing activities of continuing operations	(402,497)		(210,585)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations	181		166
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations	(236,311)		39,347
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(236,311)		39,347
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	583,620		230,142
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(236,311)		39,347
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	347,309		269,489
Eliminations & Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations	(225,000)		(125,000)
Net change in wholesale finance receivables	(151,046)		(163,967)
Accounts receivable	142,721		140,837
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(142,721)		(93,249)
Other			(47,575)
Total adjustments	151,046		163,954
Net cash (used by) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(376,046)		(288,954)
Origination of finance receivables	972,620		856,939
Collections of finance receivables	(821,574)		(692,972)
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations	151,046		163,967
Dividends paid	225,000		125,000
Net cash used by financing activities of continuing operations	225,000		125,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations			$ (13)