are their any replacement chains that aren't Ducati certified/warrantied/approved/necessary chains I can slap on? I'm going to need a new chain soon and don't want to break the bank getting one. al the dealerships around here have no clue what kind of chain I need and the nearest Ducati shop is 50 miles away.
this should help...
http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/shop/catalog/ducati/chain.html#DiD chain (http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/shop/catalog/ducati/chain.html#DiD%20chain)
Depending on the miles you should probably replace yoursprockets as well. If the gearing is still stock, most folks use this opportunity to add a few teeth to the rear sprock
If you find a hobby that's cheap and as much fun as motorcycling, please let me know! Unfortunately there's a direct relationship between chain price and chain life. A cheap chain will wear faster, require frequent adjustment and need replacing sooner, so it's really a false economy. And, there's a greater chance it will break and tear up your cases, which then makes it a very expensive chain. Considering how long a good chain lasts, they aren't all that expensive.
I really don't have any recommendations for a cheap chain (not that I'm holding back any info out of a sense of moral superiority [roll] I just don't know) and I suggest calling Chris at CA Cycleworks from the link cduarte posted earlier. They can probably give you a recommendation for their lowest price good chain.