Business Segments And Foreign Operations (Information By Strategic Business Units) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jul. 01, 2012	Apr. 01, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest Income Paid By Motorcycles Segment									$ 11,500,000	$ 10,500,000	$ 9,200,000
Motorcycles net revenue	1,010,900	1,089,300	1,569,000	1,273,400	1,026,800	1,232,700	1,339,700	1,063,000	4,942,582,000	4,662,264,000	4,176,627,000
Restructuring expense and other impairments									28,475,000	67,992,000	163,508,000
Operating income (loss)									1,000,176,000	829,967,000	560,631,000
Financial services revenue	160,000	161,000	160,600	156,300	157,200	164,600	165,900	161,900	637,924,000	649,449,000	682,709,000
Restructuring expense	19,000	9,200	6,200	11,500	1,600	12,400	13,600	23,000
Motorcycles Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Motorcycles net revenue									4,942,582,000	4,662,264,000	4,176,627,000
Gross profit									1,720,188,000	1,555,976,000	1,427,403,000
Selling, administrative and engineering expense									(976,224,000)	(926,808,000)	(885,137,000)
Restructuring expense and other impairments									28,475,000	67,992,000	163,508,000
Operating income (loss)									715,489,000	561,176,000	378,758,000
Financial Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)									284,687,000	268,791,000	181,873,000
Financial services revenue									637,924,000	649,449,000	682,709,000
Financial services expense									$ 353,237,000	$ 380,658,000	$ 500,836,000