Employee Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Dec. 31, 2011

General Discussion of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract]

Schedule Of Obligation And Funded Status

	Pension and SERPA Benefits						Postretirement Healthcare Benefits
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Change in benefit obligation
Benefit obligation, beginning of period	$	1,570,930		$	1,390,374		$	380,625		$	378,341
Service cost	33,681			37,341			7,413			7,630
Interest cost	83,265			80,805			18,310			19,644
Actuarial losses (gains)	276,069			127,259			23,367			(1,364		)
Plan participant contributions	1,459			3,441			1,561			1,527
Early Retirement Reinsurance Program Proceeds	—			—			—			2,249
Benefits paid, net of Medicare Part D subsidy	(93,829		)	(68,525		)	(28,049		)	(27,402		)
Net curtailments and settlements	—			235			—			—
Benefit obligation, end of period	1,871,575			1,570,930			403,227			380,625
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of period	1,253,916			1,105,487			109,160			121,064
Actual return on plan assets	160,731			8,129			13,946			820
Company contributions	216,741			205,383			27,675			14,111
Plan participant contributions	1,459			3,441			1,561			1,527
Benefits paid	(93,829		)	(68,524		)	(29,236		)	(28,362		)
Fair value of plan assets, end of period	1,539,018			1,253,916			123,106			109,160
Funded status of the plans, December 31	$	(332,557	)	$	(317,014	)	$	(280,121	)	$	(271,465	)
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, December 31:
Accrued benefit liability (current liabilities)	$	(2,263	)	$	(14,531	)	$	(2,059	)	$	(2,883	)
Accrued benefit liability (long-term liabilities)	(330,294		)	(302,483		)	(278,062		)	(268,582		)
Net amount recognized	$	(332,557	)	$	(317,014	)	$	(280,121	)	$	(271,465	)

Components Of Net Periodic Benefit Costs

	Pension and SERPA Benefits									Postretirement Healthcare Benefits
	2012			2011			2010			2012			2011			2010
Service cost	$	33,681		$	37,341		$	42,889		$	7,413		$	7,630		$	9,957
Interest cost	83,265			80,805			77,996			18,310			19,644			20,774
Expected return on plan assets	(117,110		)	(106,612		)	(97,376		)	(9,423		)	(9,386		)	(9,781		)
Amortization of unrecognized:
Prior service cost (credit)	2,958			2,981			4,383			(3,853		)	(3,878		)	(2,914		)
Net loss	43,874			30,266			23,872			7,421			7,192			9,394
Net curtailment loss	—			236			15,508			—			—			11,643
Settlement loss	6,242			274			4,673			—			—			—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	52,910		$	45,291		$	71,945		$	19,868		$	21,202		$	39,073

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)	$	3,489	$	(15,921	)	$	(12,432	)
Net actuarial loss	577,140		91,145			668,285
	$	580,629	$	75,224		$	655,853

Schedule Of Net Periodic Benefit Cost Expected To Be Recognized

	Pension and SERPA Benefits		Postretirement Healthcare Benefits			Total
Prior service cost (credit)	$	1,099	$	(2,426	)	$	(1,327	)
Net actuarial loss	36,900		5,382			42,282
	$	37,999	$	2,956		$	40,955

Schedule Of Assumptions Used To Determine Net Periodic Benefit Cost

	Pension and SERPA Benefits						Postretirement Healthcare Benefits
	2012		2011		2010		2012		2011		2010
Assumptions for benefit obligations:
Discount rate	4.23	%	5.30	%	5.79	%	3.93	%	4.90	%	5.28	%
Rate of compensation	4.00	%	3.49	%	3.49	%	n/a		n/a		n/a
Assumptions for net periodic benefit cost:
Discount rate	5.30	%	5.79	%	6.00	%	4.90	%	5.28	%	5.65	%
Expected return on plan assets	7.80	%	8.00	%	8.25	%	8.00	%	8.00	%	8.25	%
Rate of compensation increase	3.49	%	3.49	%	3.66	%	n/a		n/a		n/a

Schedule Of PBO In Excess Of Fair Value Of Plan Assets

	2012		2011
Pension plans with PBOs in excess of fair value of plan assets:
PBO	$	1,833.8	$	1,530.0
Fair value of plan assets	$	1,539.0	$	1,253.9
Number of plans	1		4

Schedule Of ABO In Excess Of Fair Value Of Plan Assets

	2012		2011
Pension plans with ABOs in excess of fair value of plan assets:
ABO	$	1,708.1	$	1,436.8
Fair value of plan assets	$	1,539.0	$	1,253.9
Number of plans	1		4

Schedule Of Fair Value Of Pension Plan Assets

	Balance as of December 31, 2012		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	$	42,625	$	—	$	42,625	$	—
Equity holdings:
U.S. companies	540,579		540,578		1		—
Foreign companies	85,415		85,415		—		—
Harley-Davidson common stock	62,189		62,189		—		—
Pooled equity funds	309,878		309,878		—		—
Limited partnership interests	35,954		—		—		35,954
Other	628		—		—		628
Total equity holdings	1,034,643		998,060		1		36,582
Fixed-income holdings:
U.S. Treasuries	55,014		55,014		—		—
Federal agencies	14,302		—		14,302		—
Corporate bonds	189,643		—		189,643		—
Pooled fixed income funds	165,192		48,528		116,664		—
Foreign bonds	29,149		—		29,149		—
Municipal bonds	8,450		—		8,450		—
Total fixed-income holdings	461,750		103,542		358,208		—
Total pension plan assets	$	1,539,018	$	1,101,602	$	400,834	$	36,582

	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

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

	Total			Limited Partnership Interests			Other
Balance, beginning of period	$	42,127		$	40,016		$	2,111
Actual return on plan assets:
Relating to assets still held at the reporting date	(820		)	(930		)	110
Purchases, sales and settlements	(4,725		)	(3,132		)	(1,593		)
Balance, end of period	$	36,582		$	35,954		$	628

	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

Schedule Of Fair Value Of Post Retirement Healthcare Plan Assets

	Balance as of December 31, 2012		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	5,522	$	—	$	5,522
Equity holdings:
U.S. companies	60,658		60,658		—
Foreign companies	13,625		13,625		—
Pooled equity funds	27,617		27,617		—
Total equity holdings	101,900		101,900		—
Fixed-income holdings:
U.S. Treasuries	5,370		5,370		—
Federal agencies	3,489		—		3,489
Corporate bonds	6,033		—		6,033
Foreign bonds	659		—		659
Municipal bonds	133		—		133
Total fixed-income holdings	15,684		5,370		10,314
Total postretirement healthcare plan assets	$	123,106	$	107,270	$	15,836

	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

Schedule Of Weighted Average Health Care Cost Trend Rate

	2012		2011
Healthcare cost trend rate for next year	7.5	%	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 2012	$	814	$	(789	)
Accumulated benefit obligation as of December 31, 2012	$	14,879	$	(13,948	)

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
2013	$	66,638	$	2,262	$	30,054	$	1,418
2014	$	67,587	$	2,725	$	30,449	$	1,639
2015	$	68,536	$	1,611	$	30,735	$	1,851
2016	$	70,042	$	1,691	$	30,247	$	2,104
2017	$	72,095	$	2,113	$	29,679	$	2,301
2018-2022	$	414,800	$	12,346	$	146,714	$	15,240