Unless the TC is different from an EVO, I don't see why it is neccessary to remove the derby cover and back off the clutch pack.
You can just back off the adjuster in the cable itself until the cable is loose and remove the right side trans cover & undo your cable.

Then route it up to the clutch lever the same way the old one was, the adjust your clutch cable leaving about 1/8" freeplay in the lever.

If the the clutch adjustment was ok before changing the cable it should still be the same.
By changing the cable, you're not changing the clutch adjustment.

 

It depends on the travel or free length of the cable that was on the bike. Plus or minus tolerance. If the tolerance was on the long side and the clutch pack was adjusted for it, a new cable with tolerance on the short side won't fit until you loose the clutch back up. Otherwise you are right, if the cables are close in tolerance you could just change them out per your thoughts.

 

No offense motorcycletom, but I think you got that wrong. The clutch is not adjusted to suit the cable. The clutch is adjusted with the cable slackened right off, and then the slack in the cable is taken up by the cable adjuster afterwards.
The clutch is adjusted so there is a slight clearance in the release bearing with the cable backke right off to make sure that A: The bearing does not have pressure on it all the time when the clutch is engaged, and B: To make sure that the clutch plates are fully engaged to prevent slipping.

So in order to change the clutch cable, you do not have to remove the derby cover and back off your clutch adjuster. You just replace the cable and take up the slack in the cable with the cable adjuster. Remember the adjuster on the cable is not a clutch adjuster, it merely takes up the slack in the cable, but make sure the clutch lever still has about 1/8" free play in the gap to avoid pressure on the release bearing.

 

Stubby,this is true, and you may not need to remove the slack in the clutch itself to get change the cable, but in some instances you may not get the correct adjustment; ie the inner cable will be to short to attach at the handlebars until you loosen up the clutch. This is why the service manual asks you to do that first. Your throw-out bearing rod touches the ball and ramp set up in the trans cover and may not give you enough free play if the clutch is adjusted in. On the other end of the spectrum, it could be too loose, and though not an installation problem, it would require the adjuster sleeve on the cable to be extended out more to get the proper lever adjustment. It can't hurt to try it without removing the cover and if things don't seem correct, then pull the cover and readjust the clutch.