here's my question, which is the longer of the two? i removed both the throttle and idle cables about a week ago and didn't mark the two. right now i'm trying to reinstall them both and don't want to mess up by putting them on the wrong one.i tried to search the threads here, but i had no luck. any help with re-installation would be appreciated.

 

I believe they are push pull and you should be able to determine which is which just by manually pulling each. Only one will give you travel since the throttle body should be closed. That is your main throttle cable, the other is the return.

 

When you say you removed them, is that remove completely off the bike or just off the controls on the handlebar?

 

pulled them completely off the bike. they are layin on the table next to the bike right now.

 

Maybe the newer bikes are different, but on my 90 the elbows at the grip can only go in one side, from there you can tell which one is pull/push.

 

One of your cables should have a little spring on it, at the end where it inserts into the mount on your throttle body. The cable with the spring on it, is your idle cable.

 

spring = idle cable!! thanks a lot for the help. maybe next time i'll remember to mark things when i remove them... haha.