Power is the rate at which work occurs (rate of energy transfer). It is the only measure of the work a tractor or engine can do (over a given amount of time).
A 120hp 1000cc engine can do the same work as a 120hp 5000cc engine in the same amount of time.
Losses in the necessary gear reductions to reduce the speed are about 2% per mesh. A 12,000rpm motorcycle engine can be slowed down to an equivalent speed of a diesel engine with about 2 planetary meshes. This would lead to about a 4% loss that wouldn't be experienced with the larger engine.
In an ag tractor, the shape of the torque curve matters. The shape of the torque curves affects how it can lug through a tough spot without down shifting. If the motorcycle engine had the same general shape torque curve, you might not know what was powering the tractor (other than the sound!). In reality, the torque curve of the motorcycle engine probably doesn't have the rise of an ag tractor engine. I would expect more shifting to make it work.
Of a more practical note, large ag/construction/industrial engines are designed to run at full power for a high percentage of their operation. Automotive and motorcycle engines are not. The 1000cc 120hp engine would not likely last very long at full power.
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Today's Featured Article - Madison's County - by Anthony West. Philip Madison has been a good friend of mine for quite some time. He has patiently suffered my incessant chit chat on the subject of tractors for longer than I care to remember, and on many occasions he has put himself out, dropped what ever it was he was doing, to come and lend a hand cranking handles, or loading a find onto a trailer. Although he himself has never actually owned or restored a tractor, he was always enthusiastic and always around helping with other peoples projects.
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