An exhaust system of the internal combustion engine comprises upstream
main paths for cylinders that are attached to a side of a cylinder head
and extend towards a side of the engine, and are connected to the
respective cylinders; a downstream main path in which the upstream main
paths join so as to become one flow path; a main catalytic converter
provided on the downstream main path; bypasses that are split from the
upstream main paths or the downstream main path; a bypass catalytic
converter that is provided on the bypass; and flow path switching valves
that open and close the upstream main paths so that exhaust discharged
from the cylinders flows into the bypass. The bypass catalytic converter
is provided below the upstream main paths.