Ahhhh yea....
Let's address the elephant in the room right off!
"Your parenting gut will sink to the bottom when you witness your child fall the first time." You will say to yourself "I knew it" and "It's my fault" and... "I should have known better." Then comes the frustration and slightly aggravation/mild anger that comes along for the ride. "How could I have been so dumb," "He/she should have known better," and... "Dammit!!!! I told them NOT to do that."
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
As a parent, I have learned to let life happen. It IS and always WILL BE that way and the only thing we can do as parents is ensure our offspring make good choices. So... what are the good choices here?;
The right bike was selected
Proper gear/bike prep was completed to assist in a successful outcome
ABOVE and beyond training was completed to instill a good riding mindset and riding habits
FYI... good riding habits start well before the ride. Rider mood, weather, environment, bike readiness, planned trip, destination, time, schedule, bla bla bla, all play a part in "will this ride be successful." Having plan b on tap before you throw a leg over goes a LOOONNNNGGGGG way.
You have to do your part in prep work, to lay a good foundation for them to build upon. You can also go the extra mile. My son is also 17, has his 2nd bike now; the first was a small dirt bike and he now has a n250 (my old one). I know my son, he is bold and daring, this is not good for a n00b rider. His first experience on a motorized vehicle was a 4wheeler, where he learned about clutches and shifting gears. Next was a pw80 (no clutch), where learned about throttle control. Then, the two came together on a bigger dirt bike in a wide open field, where he learned to put it all together on two wheels. Did that stop him from rolling the 4wheeler over? Nope.... Did that stop him from tipping over the dirt bike? Nope... Did that stop him from panicking and running full throttle into the fence? YES SIR!!!
Sounds like you have a solid plan, but you know your child best. Do what you need to do to make sure they are prepared for success BEFORE they throw a leg over. Nothing else will help set your mind at ease, knowing they will gear up, and ride in a well behaved manner. With respect to others and themselves.
Lastly, as an overprotective parent, take your son to the track after the BRC course, a good amount of parking lot practice and some "off peak" hours of road riding time. The
track RIDING SCHOOL at a track may sound like a scary place, but honestly... there is NO better place to learn.
Qualified coaches,
Corner workers watching each corner
A clean and debris free riding surface
On-site medical
Proper gear and mechanical operation of the bike is required and checked
and so on, and so on....
And if you do a riding school, DO NOT ride with your child. Let the school AND your son do their thang.
Good luck to you both!
ps.... relax! Your confidence or lack there of, will show to your son. They know.... and don't forget to celebrate the success and not dwell on the mistakes.