Can anyone give me the best/easiest method of removing the throttle/idle cable from the handlebar/switchgear housing?
In the past I've just used brute force to pull them out but have usually ended up butchering the little circlips that hold them in place,got to change my cables again soon and I'm thinking there's gotta be a better way....hasn't there?

 

A little grease always helps.

 

You need to loosen the both cable adjusters to put some slack in the cables. Then it's just a matter of working the clips out of the slots in the right grip. Jsut make sure that they don't go tink, tink, tink. Once they do that, they're PITA to find. Don't ask me how I know.

If you haven't already taken the right grip apart, make sure that you put a spacer, the big end of a zip tie works well, between the brake lever and the housing. Otherwise you risk breaking off the end of the front brake switch which can be a PITA to replace. Again, don't ask me how I know.

If you haven't already, I'd strongly recommend getting a shop manual from your local dealer/stealer (depending on your opinion of him). It's well worththe $40-$50?