Supplemental Consolidating Data (Cash Flows) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Jul. 01, 2012	Jun. 26, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	$ 247,250		$ 190,580	$ 419,285	$ 309,840
Loss from discontinued operations
Income from continuing operations	247,250		190,580	419,285	309,840
Depreciation				85,997	89,543
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs				38,075	39,054
Amortization of financing origination fees				5,021	5,833
Provision for employee long-term benefits				34,263	34,456
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans				(213,648)	(205,498)
Stock compensation expense				22,119	20,537
Net change in wholesale finance receivables				(124,919)	11,909
Provision for credit losses	(5,259)		(6,790)	3,754	(1,184)
Pension and postretirement healthcare plan curtailment and settlement expense					236
Foreign currency adjustments				8,143	(2,813)
Other, net				5,567	27,226
Accounts receivable				(34,977)	8,301
Finance receivables-accrued interest and other				2,912	5,553
Inventories				89,162	(530)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				(12,286)	133,838
Restructuring reserves		7,500		(9,915)	3,195
Derivative instruments				(1,420)	1,195
Other				(28,891)	(7,729)
Total adjustments				(131,043)	163,122
Net cash provided by (used by) operating activities of continuing operations				288,242	472,962
Capital expenditures				(60,078)	(69,267)
Origination of finance receivables				(1,583,572)	(1,434,607)
Collections of finance receivables				1,435,790	1,416,610
Purchases of marketable securities				(4,993)	(142,653)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities				23,046	39,966
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations				(189,807)	(189,951)
Proceeds from securitization of debt				91,030
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes				397,373	447,076
Repayments of securitization debt				(839,401)	(901,851)
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper				(46,629)	131,039
Net change in restricted cash				41,091	44,827
Dividends paid				(71,645)	(53,152)
Purchase of common stock for treasury				(172,742)	(5,678)
Excess tax benefits from share based payments				15,730	3,476
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans				35,337	4,534
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations				(549,856)	(329,729)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations				(4,033)	(1,702)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations				(455,454)	(48,420)
Cash flows from discontinued operations:
Cash flows from operating activities of discontinued operations					(35)
Cash flows from investing activities of discontinued operations
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations
Total cash flows from discontinued operations					(35)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents				(455,454)	(48,455)
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				(455,454)	(48,455)
Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations-end of period
Cash and cash equivalents-end of period	1,071,496	1,526,950	973,478	1,071,496	973,478
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	196,544		139,597	552,258	342,030
Loss from discontinued operations
Income from continuing operations	196,544		139,597	552,258	342,030
Depreciation				82,954	86,375
Amortization of financing origination fees				237	237
Provision for employee long-term benefits				33,236	33,018
Contributions to pension and postretirement plans				(213,648)	(205,498)
Stock compensation expense				20,539	19,176
Pension and postretirement healthcare plan curtailment and settlement expense					236
Foreign currency adjustments				8,143	(2,813)
Other, net				1,275	5,337
Accounts receivable				(295,930)	(44,899)
Inventories				89,162	(530)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				(22,227)	79,110
Restructuring reserves				(9,915)	3,195
Derivative instruments				(1,293)	1,188
Other				(25,286)	(4,729)
Total adjustments				(332,753)	(30,597)
Net cash provided by (used by) operating activities of continuing operations				219,505	311,433
Capital expenditures				(57,504)	(65,956)
Purchases of marketable securities					(142,653)
Sales and redemptions of marketable securities				18,053	39,966
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations				(39,451)	(168,643)
Loan to HDFS				(200,000)	(200,000)
Dividends paid				(71,645)	(53,152)
Purchase of common stock for treasury				(172,742)	(5,678)
Excess tax benefits from share based payments				15,730	3,476
Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans				35,337	4,534
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations				(393,320)	(250,820)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations				(4,155)	(1,922)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations				(217,421)	(109,952)
Cash flows from discontinued operations:
Cash flows from operating activities of discontinued operations					(35)
Cash flows from investing activities of discontinued operations
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations
Total cash flows from discontinued operations					(35)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents				(217,421)	(109,987)
Cash and cash equivalents-beginning of period				943,330	791,791
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations-beginning of period
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents				(217,421)	(109,987)
Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations-end of period
Cash and cash equivalents-end of period	725,909		681,804	725,909	681,804
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income	50,706		50,983	92,027	92,810
Loss from discontinued operations
Income from continuing operations	50,706		50,983	92,027	92,810
Depreciation				3,043	3,168
Amortization of deferred loan origination costs				38,075	39,054
Amortization of financing origination fees				4,784	5,596
Provision for employee long-term benefits				1,027	1,438
Stock compensation expense				1,580	1,361
Provision for credit losses	(5,259)		(6,790)	3,754	(1,184)
Other, net				4,292	21,889
Finance receivables-accrued interest and other				2,912	5,553
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				270,894	60,426
Derivative instruments				(127)	7
Other				(3,605)	44,575
Total adjustments				326,629	181,883
Net cash provided by (used by) operating activities of continuing operations				418,656	274,693
Capital expenditures				(2,574)	(3,311)
Origination of finance receivables				(3,766,621)	(3,264,370)
Collections of finance receivables				3,493,920	3,258,282
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations				(275,275)	(9,399)
Proceeds from securitization of debt				91,030
Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes				397,373	447,076
Loan to HDFS				200,000	200,000
Repayments of securitization debt				(839,401)	(901,851)
Net decrease in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper				(46,629)	131,039
Net change in restricted cash				41,091	44,827
Dividends paid				(225,000)	(125,000)
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations				(381,536)	(203,909)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations				122	147
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations				(238,033)	61,532
Cash flows from discontinued operations:
Cash flows from investing activities of discontinued operations
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents				(238,033)	61,532
Cash and cash equivalents-beginning of period				583,620	230,142
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations-beginning of period
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents				(238,033)	61,532
Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations-end of period
Cash and cash equivalents-end of period	345,587		291,674	345,587	291,674
Eliminations & Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net income				(225,000)	(125,000)
Loss from discontinued operations
Income from continuing operations				(225,000)	(125,000)
Net change in wholesale finance receivables				(124,919)	11,909
Accounts receivable				260,953	53,200
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities				(260,953)	(5,698)
Other					(47,575)
Total adjustments				(124,919)	11,836
Net cash provided by (used by) operating activities of continuing operations				(349,919)	(113,164)
Origination of finance receivables				2,183,049	1,829,763
Collections of finance receivables				(2,058,130)	(1,841,672)
Net cash (used by) provided by investing activities of continuing operations				124,919	(11,909)
Dividends paid				225,000	125,000
Net cash (used by) provided by financing activities of continuing operations				225,000	125,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations					73
Cash flows from discontinued operations:
Cash flows from investing activities of discontinued operations
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations-beginning of period
Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations-end of period