I have a 2001 Ford Ranger Edge and it hauls my bike just fine. You may want to get a longer bed though if you don't want to leave the tailgate down. I have to get the bike in there on a diagonal to close the tailgate which is a pain in the ass. I normally leave it straight and just leave the tailgate down as I tie the bike down really well.

I got the Ranger used from Carmax with 40,000 miles on it for $10,000. Definitely look into something that is slightly used if you want to save some cash. Also, keep in mind that the higher the tailgate, the more difficult it is to load the bike, so don't go get a monster unless you are prepared to pay the price when loading up.