im looking for my first bike. im not a very big guy so i dont need a very big bike i just need something thats fast and 3-5 grand cheap any suggestions?
A Kawasaki Ninja 250 will do 100mph and outrun most things on four wheels except exotic supercars and hot Corvettes. Heaps of them are available in your price range. Check craigslist and ebay.
Edit Mr Smartypants has obviously never ridden a Ninja 250 or CBR250 if he thinks they won't/don't cruise at highway speed.
Start small ride longer. Don't listen to those that tell you to start with a larger bike. Its about learning for you at this point. Buy a used 250 ninja, ride it for a year or two then sell it and move to something larger. I started out all the kids this way and they all still ride, more importantly they are all still alive and intact.
Well first of all, it's important to be able to sit on a bike with your feet flat on the ground. If you're what we call 'inseam challenged', this may narrow your range of choices somewhat. They publish seat heights in the specs but the seats are all shaped differently so the only way to tell is to sit on the bike.
Now then, lots of people here will tell you you should start on a 250, like the Kawasaki Ninja 250 or Honda CBR 250. And these are very nice bikes but they can't cruise at highway speeds. They're all the motorcycle you will ever need up to about 50 mph. If you see yourself doing a lot of highway miles, you need at least 500cc, 650cc would be better. That's bigger/heavier than a 250, but not that much.
You can find a pretty nice used bike for $3k or so. The Japanese mfgrs are all very good and give you the best deal for the money.
I would say you don't want a hot sportbike--Honda CBR, Suzuki GSX-R, Kawasaki Ninja ZX, Yamaha R1 or R6. Those are wonderful machines, and they're very popular, but they aren't for beginners. If you absolutely have to have something like that, see it as something to look forward to, not as a first bike.
There are other bikes in that size range that are 'standards'. They are sporty enough to be fun but they are really more general-purpose and easier to ride. Honda 599 (aka CB600), Suzuki GS500 or SV 650, Kawasaki Ninja 500 or 650. Actually there are a lot of models in this category. Check out your local Craigslist to see what's available where you live.
There are several good web pages with tips on what to look at in a used bike. Google "buying a used motorcycle" (with the quotes) and you'll see them. I would say don't get anything too new or fancy, because you're very likely to drop it once or twice, and you will almost certainly abuse the clutch. If you buy carefully, then if you want, in a year or so, you can sell this 'old beater' for about what you paid for it, and by then you'll know better what you really want.
Leave room in the budget for gear. A helmet, jacket and gloves at the very least. Gloves are important because when you fall you instinctively put your hands out to stop yourself (don't ask me how I know) so you want a layer of leather over your palms. The jacket should have some kind of closures around the wrists so if you slide on the street with your arms out in front the sleeves don't ride up.
Also the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course is money well spent. They don't teach you to ride--you do that yourself by riding. But they will give you your first experience on a motorcycle, and they teach you some indispensable safety habits to keep you safe while you learn. Consider that half of all motorcycle accidents happen to riders with less than a year's riding experience. So if you can manage to survive for a year, you are already twice as safe! The MSF will help you get through that first year.