Supplemental Consolidating Data (Balance Sheet) (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,795,141,000	$ 1,526,950,000	$ 1,428,753,000	$ 1,021,933,000
Marketable securities	136,376,000	153,380,000	179,285,000
Accounts receivable, net	256,193,000	219,039,000	285,332,000
Finance receivables, net	1,212,977,000	1,168,603,000	1,104,056,000
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	513,084,000	591,864,000	586,144,000
Inventories	379,129,000	418,006,000	345,963,000
Restricted cash held by variable interest entities	217,400,000	229,655,000	238,208,000
Other current assets	237,396,000	234,709,000	217,445,000
Total current assets	4,747,696,000	4,542,206,000	4,385,186,000
Finance receivables, net	2,285,309,000	1,754,441,000	2,095,839,000
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	1,904,297,000	2,271,773,000	2,119,789,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	764,835,000	809,459,000	775,213,000
Goodwill	28,928,000	29,081,000	30,004,000
Other long-term assets	284,118,000	267,204,000	298,328,000
Total assets	10,015,183,000	9,674,164,000	9,704,359,000
Accounts payable	293,710,000	255,713,000	289,490,000
Accrued liabilities	606,078,000	564,172,000	731,943,000
Short-term debt	404,693,000	838,486,000	774,971,000
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	437,938,000	399,916,000	0
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities	559,256,000	640,331,000	644,779,000
Total current liabilities	2,301,675,000	2,698,618,000	2,441,183,000
Long-term debt	3,339,604,000	2,396,871,000	2,804,605,000
Long-term debt held by variable interest entities	1,132,809,000	1,447,015,000	1,350,294,000
Pension liability	125,664,000	302,483,000	106,795,000
Postretirement healthcare benefits	261,564,000	268,582,000	262,096,000
Other long-term liabilities	150,504,000	140,339,000	138,126,000
Total shareholders' equity	2,703,363,000	2,420,256,000	2,601,260,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,015,183,000	9,674,164,000	9,704,359,000
Motorcycles And Related Products Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	1,048,429,000	943,330,000	995,855,000	791,791,000
Marketable securities	136,376,000	153,380,000	179,285,000
Accounts receivable, net	623,021,000	393,615,000	590,611,000
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	0	0	0
Inventories	379,129,000	418,006,000	345,963,000
Restricted cash held by variable interest entities	0	0	0
Other current assets	177,278,000	167,423,000	159,814,000
Total current assets	2,364,233,000	2,075,754,000	2,271,528,000
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	735,719,000	779,330,000	746,230,000
Goodwill	28,928,000	29,081,000	30,004,000
Other long-term assets	338,987,000	322,379,000	344,073,000
Total assets	3,467,867,000	3,206,544,000	3,391,835,000
Accounts payable	251,755,000	220,957,000	246,210,000
Accrued liabilities	521,867,000	482,838,000	627,972,000
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0	0
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	773,622,000	703,795,000	874,182,000
Long-term debt	303,000,000	303,000,000	303,000,000
Long-term debt held by variable interest entities	0	0	0
Pension liability	125,664,000	302,483,000	106,795,000
Postretirement healthcare benefits	261,564,000	268,582,000	262,096,000
Other long-term liabilities	134,509,000	126,036,000	124,031,000
Total shareholders' equity	1,869,508,000	1,502,648,000	1,721,731,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	3,467,867,000	3,206,544,000	3,391,835,000
Financial Services Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	746,712,000	583,620,000	432,898,000	230,142,000
Marketable securities	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Finance receivables, net	1,212,977,000	1,168,603,000	1,104,056,000
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	513,084,000	591,864,000	586,144,000
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash held by variable interest entities	217,400,000	229,655,000	238,208,000
Other current assets	60,118,000	67,286,000	57,631,000
Total current assets	2,750,291,000	2,641,028,000	2,418,937,000
Finance receivables, net	2,285,309,000	1,754,441,000	2,095,839,000
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	1,904,297,000	2,271,773,000	2,119,789,000
Property, plant and equipment, net	29,116,000	30,129,000	28,983,000
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other long-term assets	20,193,000	17,460,000	25,874,000
Total assets	6,989,206,000	6,714,831,000	6,689,422,000
Accounts payable	408,783,000	209,332,000	348,559,000
Accrued liabilities	87,936,000	85,038,000	107,414,000
Short-term debt	404,693,000	838,486,000	774,971,000
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	437,938,000	399,916,000
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities	559,256,000	640,331,000	644,779,000
Total current liabilities	1,898,606,000	2,173,103,000	1,875,723,000
Long-term debt	3,036,604,000	2,093,871,000	2,501,605,000
Long-term debt held by variable interest entities	1,132,809,000	1,447,015,000	1,350,294,000
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	15,995,000	14,303,000	14,095,000
Total shareholders' equity	905,192,000	986,539,000	947,705,000
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,989,206,000	6,714,831,000	6,689,422,000
Eliminations & Adjustments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Marketable securities	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(366,828,000)	(174,576,000)	(305,279,000)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Restricted cash held by variable interest entities	0	0	0
Other current assets	0	0	0
Total current assets	(366,828,000)	(174,576,000)	(305,279,000)
Finance receivables, net	0	0	0
Restricted finance receivables held by variable interest entities, net	0	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other long-term assets	(75,062,000)	(72,635,000)	(71,619,000)
Total assets	(441,890,000)	(247,211,000)	(376,898,000)
Accounts payable	(366,828,000)	(174,576,000)	(305,279,000)
Accrued liabilities	(3,725,000)	(3,704,000)	(3,443,000)
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0
Current portion of long-term debt held by variable interest entities	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	(370,553,000)	(178,280,000)	(308,722,000)
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Long-term debt held by variable interest entities	0	0	0
Pension liability	0	0	0
Postretirement healthcare benefits	0	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0	0
Total shareholders' equity	(71,337,000)	(68,931,000)	(68,176,000)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (441,890,000)	$ (247,211,000)	$ (376,898,000)