GS500f Won't stay running!

[SPLIT_and_MELT]

So yesterday at work I accidentally left the parking light on.  I came back out during lunch and hte bike would not start, no clicks, nothing.  I jumped it with some portable cables and let it warm up a bit.  I made a lap around the parking lot and got to the end of the driveway.  I applied the brake and then as soon as I applied the turn signal the bike died.  It would not start back up again without a jump. 

So far I've only check the battery voltage when not running, 12.1V.  I'll be checking the voltage once it's running as soon as I get a chance.  What else should I be checking when I'm looking at it again?

Thanks!

[The Buddha]

Need more than that to get the battery to get pumped up enough.
You may need to let it idle and rev it and keep it ~3K or so a few mins before you get out to the road.
That assumes the batter will take and keep charge too. The battery may be too far gone for that if it was bad to start with.
Cool.
Buddha.

[JAS6377]

Also, when you test the battery, make sure to test it as you crank the bike. Checking voltage when it's sitting doesn't do much. However, if you notice a gigantic voltage drop when you put the battery under load, it's probably bad.

[robfriedenberger]

An amp meter is nice if you have access to one A good DIMM Should have a settings for this. Most bikes need 30+CCA

[SPLIT_and_MELT]

OK thanks for the tips, I've been looking into similar threads (should have done that first of course) and there seems to be a lot of info out there.  I've got a good DMM and find my way around circuits so I should be good there, I just didn't know where to stick the probes 

[JAS6377]

Right on the battery terminals.

[SPLIT_and_MELT]

Haha I'm not that much of a newbie.  I'm probably getting ahead of myself but I meant I didn't know where to probe around on the regulator/stator areas if I need to go down that route.  Hopefully I don't, keeping fingers crossed. 

[JAS6377]

I figured. I was just being my sarcastic self lol. If you do need to test the rest of the charging system, here's a good post about it:

http://www.gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=38480.msg431967.msg#431967

[007brendan]

I've found most motorcycle batteries to be pretty crappy, in so far as if you accidentally drain them all the way, or let them sit for any prolonged amount of time, they don't hold charge very well ever again.